311 graves in a historic Georgia graveyard will be moved in August after fierce feuding from the Georgia NAACP and county board members. The Clayton-County Board of Commissioners voted seven months ago to have graves in the Union Bethel A.M.E. Church Cemetery moved to a graveyard in Riverdale, Georgia to expand a landfill. The cemetery dates back to the 1850s and is believed to be the final resting place of slaves. The NAACP in Georgia stepped in, claiming that board officials accepted bribes from the Stephens MDS LP construction and recycling program and called for an investigation.
Now seven months later, a Clayton-County judge threw out the last of lawsuits, sealing the fate of the graves. A graveside service for those buried is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at Union Bethel Church.
The Stephens MDS LP company did not deny giving money to board members but said they only gave “political donations” that were not meant to gain member approval. An official permit to move the graves was given to the company in December.
