MOBILE, Ala. ( WKRG ) — A small group of volunteers spent Veterans Day uncovering graves at the overgrown Oaklawn Cemetery.
The Oaklawn Cemetery in Mobile is a known resting place for many Buffalo Soldiers.
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“We are here to honor the veterans of this mighty fine country of America,” Alvin Crawford, a volunteer, said.
Once he saw how hard it was to find his own family buried at Oaklawn, Crawford, a veteran himself, started making the 3.5-hour drive from Sylacauga to Mobile every three weeks to continue where he left off. He’s been cleaning the cemetery for the past five years.
“For all those veterans who went off and came home, do me a favor and come out here for the ones who can’t help themselves now,” Crawford said.
Walking through the cemetery, it’s hard to believe that it is registered as an Alabama Historical Cemetery. Many headstones are overturned and some of the graves have sunken in.
The Alabama Historical Commission does not regulate cemetery maintenance and cannot force owners to maintain their cemeteries. The commission’s role with historic cemeteries is to maintain the Alabama Historic Cemetery Register and issue cemetery permits.