Project Respect, Inc.

Between the rain days of the week of October 19, 2009, Project RESPECT continued the planning for the visit to the Historic Harrisburg Jackson Cemetery by the students of the REGIS SCHOOL of the Sacred Heart. Wednesday, October 21, 2009 a planning meeting and on-site tour of the cemetery was convened. In attendance were: Dr. Sharon Lundgren and Ms. Kathleen Brussard of the REGIS SCHOOL of the Sacred Heart, Atty. Martina Cartwright, Student Atty. Gabriella Rhodes from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at TSU, and Project RESPECT members, Ms. Lisa Jedkins, Ms. Pamela Jones Moncriffe, Ms. Cynthia Collins, and W. W. Jones, II,. A tour to assess the safety of the property was an important part of the planning for the student visit at the Harrisburg Jackson Cemetery property on November 23, 2009.

Here is a tentative program for the November 23, 2009 visit to the Harrisburg Jackson Cemetery by the students of the Regis School of the Sacred Heart:

8:15 AM
7th and 8th grade load onto school bus(es)
0:10:00

8:25 AM
bus leaves for Harrisburg Jackson Cemetery
0:20:00

8:45 AM
bus arrives at Harrisburg Cemetery/organize
0:20:00

9:05 AM
Talk to boys by Project RESPECT (history of cemetery, need of cemetery, how boys can help & what boys can learn)
0:20:00

9:25 AM
Tour of cemetery
0:20:00

9:45 AM
Boys begin cleaning cemetery
1:15:00

11:00 AM
GPS/GIS systems introduction
1:00:00

12:00 PM
Rest break/sack lunches
0:25:00

12:25 PM
GPS/GIS systems
1:30:00

1:55 PM
Art work/rubbings
0:25:00

2:20 PM
Tool cleanup
0:15:00

2:35 PM
Appreciations, load onto buses
0:15:00

2:50 PM
Bus returns to Regis
0:20:00

3:10 PM
Lockers
0:20:00

3:30 PM
Dismissal
0:10:00

All activities at the Harrisburg Jackson Cemetery are an important part of Project RESPECT's Preservation Planning Program. The first phase - cleanup and clearing of the grounds was officially completed Friday, October 31, 2009. The City of Houston Solid Waste Department sent trucks earlier in the week to remove the huge piles of debris we had put along the easement of Bowie Street in front of the cemetery. The small debris that the automated grappler on the City of Houston trucks could not grab with the automated power devices visible evidence that the hard work is almost ended. It was cleaned up on Saturday. Project RESPECT will now use lawn mowers and a tractor mower to cut the lawn of the entire cemetery in anticipation of the visit by the students from Regis.

The second phase of the preservation planning for the Harrisburg Jackson Cemetery is the preparation and filing of a written plan. Subsequently, the cemetery will be placed on a regular maintenance schedule. The cemetery maintenance work will also include some minor landscaping such as planting crepe myrtle trees and a few other plants to add to the natural beauty of this historic cemetery.

While the Project RESPECT technical team is busy surveying the needs of the site, Project RESPECT cultural preservationist must document and perform research to determine: 1) Availability of funding, 2) Plans for GIS, GPS surveying and mapping, 3) Ground penetrating radar surveys, etc., 4) Historical documentation, 5) CIMS system programming, 5) Aerial photography, and 6) Legal records research.

Project RESPECT preservation plans always include community, City of Houston, Harris County, and the State of Texas input, oversight, and participation. Our goal is to stop the erosion of the history of our cultural sites. Without the work of Project RESPECT, we fear that one day our children will see no historical sites that remind us of the slavery that existed in the United States. It is an important part of our national history and we must establish regional standards and organizations as well as identify funding, corporate sponsors, and foundation partners. We can save this very important chapter of our cultural heritage.