NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Between 1804 and the end of the Civil War in 1865, at least 26 enslaved people died on President Andrew Jackson’s plantation in Tennessee. Where they were buried is knowledge lost to time.
But on Wednesday, the Andrew Jackson Foundation announced a discovery: They believe they have found the slave burial ground at The Hermitage, home of America’s seventh president.
An old agricultural report from the 1930s had given them an idea: it mentioned an area that was not built on because there were tall trees and graves. They also suspected that the cemetery would be close to the center of the 405-acre plantation, on land with low agricultural value. Late last year, with the help of an anonymous donor interested in the project, they cut down trees and brought in archaeologist James Greene.
Physically walking through the property looking for depressions and gravestones provided a possible location. Ground radar and a careful partial excavation in which no remains were disturbed confirmed this: at least 28 people, probably more, were buried near a creek about 1,000 feet northwest of the mansion.
Finding the cemetery after all this time was exciting but also solemn for Tony Guzzi, chief of conservation and grounds operations.
“For me this will be a reflective space. A contemplative space,” he said.
Jackson was one of dozens of early U.S. presidents who owned slaves, and identifying their graves was a priority at other presidential sites. Historians are trying to tell a more inclusive story about the people – enslaved and free – who built the young nation.
The historic site of the Hermitage already contains several huts where enslaved people lived. The museum has also collected information from excavations and research on some of the people enslaved by the Jackson family.
The cemetery feels more personal.
“The existing cabins are a museum space, but it can be difficult to get a sense of what slavery was like,” Guzzi said. “This is a tangible connection that makes it more real for people.”
The bodies are buried facing west in three rows from north to south, but almost all their gravestones have sunk below the surface. Only two small wedges are visible, protruding through the ground at adjacent graves. All graves likely have stone markers at both the head and feet, although they are probably not carved with names, Greene said.
And while ground-penetrating radar confirmed the presence of 28 bodies, there are likely more – including smaller graves of children or babies. A thick mat of tree roots made it difficult to confirm what’s underneath, he said.
Starting next week, The Hermitage will begin including the cemetery in a free guided tour. It is surrounded by a high fence and visitors are not allowed to enter for the time being. Officials are still deciding next steps, starting with a more inclusive process.
“Going forward, we believe we need other voices to help us think about what’s appropriate in terms of commemoration or remembrance and the like,” said Jason Zajac, president and CEO of the Andrew Jackson Foundation. An advisory committee will consist of historians and descendants of some of the enslaved people who lived in the Hermitage.
Jackson brought nine enslaved people with him when he bought the property where he would build the Hermitage, and he owned about 150 people at the time of his death, Guzzi said. They worked the fields, cared for the manor and its residents and practiced crafts such as blacksmithing and carpentry.
“Besides the Jacksons, there was a large community of enslaved people here,” Guzzi said. “You can’t tell the story of the Hermitage without telling their story.”