The Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition
The Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition, or BACC, was formed when our neighbors at the Macedonia Baptist Church on River Road realized that the Moses African Cemetery was in urgent need of protection from desecration. The BACC is a descendant community (direct descendants, friends and neighbors) of those buried at Moses, which lies between River Road and Westbard Ave., behind the McDonald's. The cemetery, in existence since River Road was bordered by plantations, has been desecrated numerous times. About one third of it, owned by the Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County, is at risk of being sold to developers. The BACC is fighting this in court. St. Columba's is connected to Moses because St. George's church at Ft. Reno was our mission church. When the cemetery they used was destroyed for white development, several of the burials there were moved to Moses. To learn more, or get involved, go to the BACC website at bethesdaafricancemeterycoalition.net, or contact Sarah Whitener at [email protected].