Two historic Black Pensacola cemeteries are getting help from the city to aid in restoration efforts.
At the corner of Brainerd and A streets are the Magnolia Cemetery and the AME Zion Cemetery. Together the two ungated cemeteries cover nearly two city blocks with burial plots dating back to the early 1880s.
Hurricane Sally hit the historic cemeteries hard, with large trees damaging grave markers and leaving several heritage trees in a dying state, threatening to drop more limbs that will damage other graves.
The Historic AME Zion Burial Association was awarded a grant of up to $200,000 from the Pensacola Community Redevelopment Agency in a 6-0 vote on Monday.
The grant will provide funding to remove the dead and dying trees from the cemeteries with the specialized equipment needed to operate around fragile grave markers. The city arborist has approved the removal of the trees and the pruning plan.
Rev. Donald Harris with the Historic AME Zion Burial Association said the cemeteries had a long history of neglect until the last decade when the University of West Florida recognized their importance and partnered with the group.