May is a month of tribute and remembrance at the National Museum of Funeral History. Visitors have one final chance to see the Museum’s special exhibit, Honoring Olivewood, which closes on May 29. Featuring a collection of photographs by young Houstonian Kasey French, taken in 2011 when she was only 16 years old, the images showcase the beauty and reverence of historic Olivewood Cemetery, Houston’s first and oldest incorporated African American cemetery, which pre-dates the end of slavery and is the final resting place of some of Houston’s first African American citizens.

  After its last burial in the 1960s, as a result of the loss of proper ingress and egress, the 1970s found most of the eight acres that make up the cemetery overgrown with vegetation, much of which covered the headstones. As the banks of White Oak Bayou and local business encroached on the cemetery’s edge, newer cemeteries were established and local community members moved away, ultimately leaving Olivewood unattended and in a state of abandonment. In 2004, after years of neglect, the Descendants of Olivewood began its efforts to restore, preserve and maintain the cemetery. In 2005, the Texas Historical Commission granted the cemetery a Texas Historic Cemetery designation. Since then, this group of passionate volunteers has rescued more than half of Olivewood Cemetery from the overgrown brush (with much work still left to do) and is dedicated to telling the story of Olivewood.

  This became the source of inspiration for Kasey French. So moved by the intense labor needed to clear overgrown tropical vegetation and trash from Olivewood, including decaying headstones, many of which can’t been seen because of the thick foliage that has overrun much of the property, to damage from standing water, erosion and crumbling fences, French hopes her photographs inspire and motivate others to help the Descendants of Olivewood group with their mission to restore the historic site.

  In honor of French’s and the Descendants of Olivewood’s passionate efforts, leaders from the National Museum of Funeral History recently hosted a community service day at Olivewood Cemetery, just in time for Earth Day (on April 22). On Saturday, April 16, a myriad of volunteers, from industry professionals and students to dedicated museum supporters and motivated visitors, gathered their gardening gear and converged on the historic cemetery, clearing out overgrown brush, vines and weeds, mowing grass, clipping and pruning the beautiful lilies that abound and hauling out bags of vegetation. The Descendants of Olivewood are dependent on individuals and groups like the one provided by the National Museum of Funeral History to help with efforts to maintain and manage the grounds. Volunteers are encouraged to participate in monthly cleanup efforts at Olivewood Cemetery on the first and third Saturday of each month. Everyone is invited, as it will take the efforts of many coming together on a regular basis for Olivewood to persevere. For more information and/or to sign up to volunteer, email info@descendantsofolivewood.org or visit www.descendantsofolivewood.org.

  For Memorial Day, the Museum is an ideal destination to pay respects to all who serve and have served by exploring the military-related exhibitions and learning about military funeral traditions. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a poignant exhibit at the National Museum of Funeral History that provides a closer look at the history of America's memorial to its fallen heroes, “known but to God.” Documents and images from the early 20th century explain how the unidentified servicemen were selected for interment in the tomb, while a display of a full, authentic uniform worn by a member of The Old Guard, the oldest active-duty infantry unit in the Army, serving our nation since 1784, recreates the presence of the dedicated guard detail. A video presentation of the Changing of the Guard ceremony features the series of precise maneuvers (performed many times each day), which honor the unknown soldiers. The Museum recently added new artifacts to enlighten visitors about the Tomb of the Unknown Solider guards, known as “sentinels,” all of who are considered to be the best of the elite 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) and honored to serve in this “post,” or capacity. Featuring items from an actual Sentinel’s uniform, exhibit visitors will learn more about the “sentinel’s last walk,” or his last day of service as a Tomb guard which includes a special ceremony that serves as a special time of reflection and remembrance of duty and respect for the Unknowns.

  Reflections on the Wall is a photography exhibit on the dedication of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., which took place November 13, 1982, and bears the names of 58,000 men and women who sacrificed their lives in service during the Vietnam War. The emotional dedication ceremony in Washington D.C. is considered a major turning point toward national reconciliation, following the contentious decades of the Vietnam War era. Direct from the Smithsonian Institution, this collection of photographs captures the significance of that important day in American history.

  Entrance into the aforementioned exhibits at the National Museum of Funeral History is included in the price of general admission.