The West Baton Rouge Museum will open a new exhibit entitled Gone But Not Forgotten: Black Cemeteries of West Baton Rouge on January 10, 2026. The exhibit examines the historic lost burial grounds of enslaved Black people across the parish as well as those cemeteries that are in danger of becoming lost to Mother Nature or land development. Many of these were started by Black Churches or Benevolent Societies in the latter part of the 19th century.
The project to document and study these cemeteries reveals both the fragility and endurance of memory. For too long, the crypts and graves of enslaved Black people were left hidden in silence. Today, through dedicated preservation efforts, these past lives are being honored and remembered. “This project is about giving voice to the voiceless,” said Debbie Martin, genealogist and cemetery mapper. “Every name, every unmarked grave, every stone touched by the sun carries the weight of a history we must never forget.” Martin was assisted in the project by locals keen to honor their own history as well as Oklahoma based cinemaphotographer Jazz Bishop. While working on a film in Baton Rouge in 2017, Bishop met Martin and was deeply inspired by her efforts to restore cemeteries of the enslaved. So, he volunteered his time by documenting the sites photographically.
Visitors to the exhibit will experience his photos as well as artifacts, art, 3-D models, soundscapes, and stories that restore dignity to those who lived, labored, and loved under unimaginable hardship. The exhibit is not only a tribute to the men, women, and children buried in these cemeteries—it is a call to bear witness, to stand in reverence, and to ensure their stories are never lost again.