Holt Cemetery: Neglect of the Deceased Poor

I literally just finished watching Bill Capo's Action Report on WWL-TV about the disgraceful conditions in Holt Cemetery. A friend and I went to Holt back in March and were appalled at the condition of the city-owned cemetery. The only name we knew it by was Potter's Field, a universal name for cemeteries everywhere that interr the poor. Located on City Park Avenue kind of behind and to the side of Delgado Community College, it's a wild, unkempt field of weeds, fallen headstones and even bones of the interred lying in plain site on top of the ground. Something I noted and commented on to my friend was the amount of war veterans buried there and I thought, what a shame. Men and women who served our country in such a disrespectful condition brought tears to my eyes. And not only veterans, but everyday people who lived their lives in New Orleans and, because of their poor circumstances, rest in such a sad, neglected place.

A cursory google search turned up that Buddy Bolden, considered by some as the father of jazz,is buried there - his grave long since unmarked and forgotten. Jessie Holt, another jazz singer, is buried there with a hand-made marker marking his grave.

I found this Endangered Cemetery Report about Holt from 2001. Obviously not only has nothing changed, it may be in even worse condition.

Bill Capo's report isn't yet online so I can't link to it but, according to the city, they are in the process of cleaning up Holt. It was noted a local volunteer group had been cleaning it and the other 16, I believe, city cemeteries once or twice a month. What a daunting job that must be if all are in such dire condition.

I thought of posting about this when I took the following photographs but, somehow, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. It really made an impression on me - I thought about for weeks how sad and disrespectful it all was.

Bill's report tonight gave me a good shove to write this post and publish my photographs. Once his report is online, I'll add it here.


Link to WWL video.












Here is a blog post dated July 2007 with photos about the conditon of Holt Cemetery. The only difference from then to now is the Fema trailers are gone, the standing water is gone and the weeds are higher.