Eden's creation was a cumulative effort. It was the original idea of its founder and organizer, Jerome Bacon. Bacon was a teacher at the Institute for Colored Youth on Bainbridge near 9th Street, which was later renamed Cheyney State College. In 1900 most African Americans in Philadelphia lived in the SP Ward, an area examined in W.E.B. DuBois' study, The Philadelphia Negro. As the city's population increased. neighborhood" cemeteries were condemned due to improvements in sanitary and sewage systems. Out of respect for those currently interred and to provide a future resting place for African Americans, Bacon discussed with his contemporaries a plan for a unified African American cemetery. Eden's first president, J. C. Asbury; first manager, Daniel W. Parvis; first treasurer, Martin Lehmann and first vice president, Charles Jones, agreed with Bacon on a fifty-three acre plot in Collingdale, Pennsylvania. The area was selected because of its proximity to Philadelphia, beautiful landscape, size and availability. Unknown to Collingdale residents, magistrates agreed to grant a charter to the company, J. C, Asbury executed. Bacon and the board members agreed with Jacob White, the president of Lebanon Cemetery, located at Passyunk near Ninth Street, to reinter all remains in Eden in 1903. However, the sudden death of Celestine Cromwell, wife of advisory member, Willis M. Cromwell, in August of 1902, hastened the need for a place of interment for African Americans. Bacon, J. C. Asbury and undertaker, J. T. Seth, convinced all the board members that Celestine Cromwell should be the first interred in Eden Cemetery.

    On August 11, 1902, before the first interment was to take place, some white Collingdale residents blocked the entrance to the cemetery, protesting the interment of African Americans in their community. Mrs. Cromwell's body was returned to Philadelphia. The following evening, on August 12, 1902 after dark, Mrs. Cromwell was buried. In January, 1903, all remains from Lebanon Cemetery were interred in Eden. In the spring, the remains from the Stephen Smith Home Cemetery were interred. In 1923, the remains from Olive Cemetery, which was adjacent to the Stephen Smith Home, were also buried in Eden.

    Celestine, Lebanon, Home and Olive are the original four sections. Eden Cemetery would later expand to 23 sections. In 1924, the mortgage was satisfied and for many years annual distribution of stock share dividends were paid to over 200 stockholders. Eden Cemetery is on the Historical Register and is the resting place of hundreds of prominent national and local "Old Philadelphian" African Americans. Today, there are over 80,000 interred.

Benjamin Wilson

Eden Cemetery Map