# Event Details

- **Event Name**: Fairfax Slave Cemetery Dedication
- **Event Start and End Date**: Fri, 19 Jun, 2026 at 11:00 am (-04:00)
- **Event Description**: Please join us in the dedication of the Fairfax Slave Cemetery on Friday, June 19 at 11:00am. The memorial service and program will be held in Center Hall (18 Q Rd. Arthurdale, WV) with a short graveside service following at the cemetery. Local poets and musicians will perform, and Dr. Tamara Bailey, Associate Professor of History at West Virginia Wesleyan College, will offer the main address focused on the history of the cemetery as well as remembrance and oral tradition more broadly. Light refreshments will be served. This event is free, but RSVPs are requested.

In 2023, Arthurdale Heritage began to clean up and document the Fairfax Cemetery in Arthurdale. Within the cemetery lie the remains of many enslaved people, Colonel John Fairfax, and his family. Once an overseer for George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate, Fairfax moved westward in 1790 and established two large plantations in “the Glades” and Kingwood areas of modern-day Preston County.

In the first half of the 19th century, more than 40 enslaved people labored on the property of Colonel John Fairfax, the largest enslaver in the county. Although there are few records of their lives, most enslaved people in the region worked daily in crop fields. Others labored in skilled trades, the main house, or were hired out to other farms or industries. Despite their lack of freedom, enslaved people still found ways to resist their oppressors, build families, and create community here.

After cleaning up the cemetery, Cultural Resource Analysts conducted ground-penetrating radar (GPR), Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), and electrical resistance survey of the site in fall 2024 and spring 2025. Using these survey results as well as historical documents and local accounts, we learned that approximately 15-20 enslaved people are buried in this cemetery, most in unmarked graves. Arthurdale Heritage erected signage in 2025 to honor their lives and mark this important piece of history. Funding for the survey of this cemetery and installation of signage  was generously provided by the Tucker Community Foundation, the WV State Historic Preservation Office, and private donors.
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/arthurdale/fairfax-slave-cemetery-dedication/200029855319801
- **Event Categories**: music, art, literary-art, entertainment, nonprofit
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 37

## Ticket Details


## Event venue details

- **city**: Arthurdale
- **state**: WV
- **country**: United States
- **location**: 18 Q Rd, Rte. 92, Arthurdale, WV, United States, West Virginia 26520
- **lat**: 39.49506
- **long**: -79.8157
- **full address**: 18 Q Rd, Rte. 92, Arthurdale, WV, United States, West Virginia 26520

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: Fairfax Slave Cemetery Dedication
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events4/banners/cfdc983756a7f7857fb1d890f1f685afc364302bbaf04fd199fe7d5055d0b439-rimg-w1200-h675-dcffffff-gmir?v=1774369978

## FAQs

- **Q**: When and where is Fairfax Slave Cemetery Dedication being held?
  - **A:** Fairfax Slave Cemetery Dedication takes place on Fri, 19 Jun, 2026 at 11:00 am to Fri, 19 Jun, 2026 at 11:00 am at 18 Q Rd, Rte. 92, Arthurdale, WV, United States, West Virginia 26520.
- **Q**: Who is organizing Fairfax Slave Cemetery Dedication?
  - **A:** Fairfax Slave Cemetery Dedication is organized by Arthurdale Heritage, Inc..
- **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me?
  - **A:** Fairfax Slave Cemetery Dedication is ideal for music lovers, fans of all genres, and anyone who wants to celebrate the power of music - from intimate gigs and live sessions to festivals and cultural performances. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Arthurdale, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Fairfax Slave Cemetery Dedication sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast.

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                "description": "Become a supporter of Eleanor Roosevelt's New Deal Community today! http://bit.ly/6TczhC"
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