Project Respect, Inc.

First Solomon Cleanup - August 9, 2008

Saturday, August 9, 2008 we began the tedious tasks of trying to identify, cleanup, document, register, and save the Solomon Cemetery at Cypress, Texas. For some of you that have not taken the time to read our (Project RESPECT) material or if you just want to know what Project RESPECT is really all about.

I first saw Olivewood Cemetery and College Park Cemetery in 1995. These properties then looked like Solomon looks today. Upon seeing the deplorable condition of Olivewood Cemetery, we assembled a team, including three lawyers, at my office, We negotiated with SCI, Lowens and other large cooperate cemetery companies, and eventually handed a piece of legislation to Senator Rodney Ellis and Representative Garnett Coleman that today is a part of Texas' Legislative Code - Health and Safety - Section 711 - Historic Cemetery Trust Provisions.

We can save the Solomon Cemetery! What will it take? How will we keep the tractors and excavators from destroying this "voice of the history and legacy of African-Americans in Texas and America?" We don't have all the answers, but we will do everything within our power to organize, expose, and inform anyone who will listen to our story. We will be at the Solomon Cemetery again on August 23, 2008 for more of the same effort. Please consider joining us for this worthy work!

W. W. Jones