Dr. Milton Moreland of Rhodes′ archaeology program and religious studies department recently received The Cleo Dunning-Alfred Billingsley Cemetery Preservation Award May 17 from Preservation of African American Cemeteries (PAAC).
PAAC had a conference May 17-18 on the Rhodes campus focusing on issues concerning the difficulties individuals and communities face storing and preserving neglected cemeteries. At the conference, Moreland discussed archaeological preservation in Tennessee and his work with the historic Zion Cemetery.
The PAAC award recognizes Moreland’s dedication to the preservation of African American cemeteries. For ten years, Moreland has been involved with the Zion Cemetery Project, working to restore the historic Zion Cemetery in South Memphis, founded in 1876. He has served on the Zion Cemetery Project Board working with volunteers from Rhodes and the greater Memphis community to clear away shrubbery and debris that had completely covered the area after decades of abandonment. Moreland also has involved Rhodes students in maintaining a database of the names of people buried in the cemetery as well as tracing their history.
Moreland recently was named Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at Rhodes.