The Mt. Zion Memorial Fund (MZMF) for Blues, Music, and Justice serves as a conduit to provide financial and technical support to African American church communities and cemeteries in Mississippi. In addition to providing memorials for Blues musicians without grave markers, we provide historical consulting, research, education, and referrals to descendant communities to prevent the erasure of cultural resources in African American communities. Having installed over 25 memorials since 1989, MZMF transforms abandoned cultural resources into international tourist destinations.
In 2022, MZMF established the Blues Communities Project, working with church and community leaders in 4 counties to add the names and locations of over 660 cemeteries to our WebAtlas of African American Burial Grounds. Services and activities on the pilot project included informational workshops, invited talks, active discussions, archival research, and the launch of a new Wordpress website, featuring ArcGIS-powered surveys and mapping, digital exhibitions, and an online support portal.
Funding is requested to support MZMF’s general operations. MZMF plans to expand the Blues Communities Project into Leflore, DeSoto, and Noxubee Counties, expanding its coverage to a total of 7 counties. Funding will support the development of informational workshops, conceptualized and designed by people of color to increase local participation, including public lectures on gentrification and the erasure of African American history. The participatory addition of burial grounds to the WebAtlas will allow MZMF to continue its growth, extend its reach into descendant communities, and expand its outreach opportunities.
