In commemoration of the Juneteenth Celebration of the Emancipation of Slavery from the Union, Bergen County in NJ has opened this historic cemetery that's normally locked to the public for self-guided tours, which my partner and I paid a visit to today. Located on a 1 acre sandy hill west of the Hackensack River in the northern half of Little Ferry, Gethsemane Cemetery was founded in 1860 as a burial ground for Hackensack's African-American population as they were not allowed to be buried in the general Hackensack cemetery due to their race. There are three panels that list the names of those known to be buried among over 500 people. Among those buried are former slaves, wealthy landowners, and two Civil War veterans. One of them was Elizabeth Dulfur. Born a slave in 1790, freed in 1822, and dying in 1880, she began amassing land here as early as 1847 by owning a clay business, eventually becoming one of the area's wealthiest businesswomen and landowners. The last documented burial of Louis Swinney occurred on December 14, 1924. The remaining stones show dates between 1878 and 1911. The two most common family names found are Thompson and Jackson. In 1944, this cemetery is listed on the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places due to the significant role it played in the enactment of NJ's early civil rights legislation as well as containing evidence of West African burial customs. If you are a history buff, we can recommend this place. read more