Bassett Cemetery Clean-Up Day of Service becomes an an ongoing commitment to preserving Black history and dignity to the resting places of African Americans.

Located in Downtown Hampton (behind the Hampton Transit Center), Bassett Cemetery, and the nearby Elmerton Cemetery, include the graves of many African American trailblazers including 19^th century emancipated slaves, civil rights pioneers and veterans from World War I to the Vietnam War.

Volunteers from Immaculate Conception Church, VCRJ, and the Knights of Peter Claver (Basilica of St. Mary) gathered on Saturday, March 14, 2026, for a major spring clean-up of the historic African American Bassette Cemetery, in downtown Hampton. They began with prayer, some history of St. Meinrad and St. Meinrad Archabbey by alumnus Vincent Sansone (the St. Meinrad Alumni Association was a sponsor of the service project), and a history of Bassett Cemetery by Dr. Angela Goodloe from the Barret-Peake Heritage Foundation (the guardians of the Bassett and Elmerton cemeteries).

An HRT bus station sits next to Bassett Cemetery. Several bus drivers, bus patrons, and even a member of a choral group that was performing nearby noticed the volunteers cleaning up the cemetery.  They were amazed at the group’s progress and stopped by to share their appreciation for their efforts and witness to bring dignity to a neglected place of rest and preserve a small bit of Hampton history.

“You guys are doing an amazing job, What is your organization and are you getting paid to do this? I would love to volunteer with you. This is an honor to those buried here. Thank you for your hard work.”

“I just had to stop over and say that this is the best I have ever seen this cemetery look so good. The weeds are normally waist high and even when the grass is cut by the city workers, it never looks this good. Wow!”

“I had to stop by and tell you how inspiring your work is.  I saw you working on my way to sing at a choral event and I cannot believe how much you accomplished.” 

Maintenance of Bassett Cemetery will continue on the third Saturday of each month.  All are welcome. If you have questions or would like to participate, please contact MarkHoggard@icchampton.org.

About Saint Meinrad Day of Service

St. Meinrad Archabbey is a Benedictine Monastery in Southern Indiana, whose primary charism is seminary and ministerial formation. Some of our priests, deacons and lay persons in the Diocese of Richmond are St. Meinrad alumni. For the past several years, the Alumni Association has organized a Saint Meinrad Day of Service, where alumni around the country organize prayer and service projects in their communities, under the Benedictine motto of “Ora et Labora.”

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