Join us at African Cemetery No. 2 and Arboretum in Lexington, KY on Saturday June 27th, 2026!
All 48StateTour! events are free & open to the public
African Cemetery No. 2 and Arboretum
419 E. 7th Street Lexington, KY 40508
6/27/2026 9am-3pm
Find A Grave
African Cemetery No 2. Website
African Cemetery No 2. Facebook
48StateTour Facebook Event
Location Details (keep scrolling for Google maps)
Local contact info for any questions: Mark Coyne, Chair - mscoyn00@gmail.com - (859) 270-3138
Parking: Details: Pull directly into the cemetery through one-of-two main gates and park to one side of the unpaved driving lane, leaving room for traffic to pass. The driving lane loops around the back of the cemetery so there will be plenty of room. Some areas will be flagged as no parking zones.
Background Info
OUR STORY: This is the earliest recorded cemetery in Lexington to be organized, owned, and managed by African Americans. It was chartered in 1870 and burials continued until 1976. The people here were important leaders in Lexington and pioneers in the Thoroughbred Racing Industry. 21 jockeys are buried in the cemetery including Oliver Lewis, the first winner of the KY Derby. Like many private cemeteries it was not endowed and with the death of its founding members in Union Benevolent Society No. 2 (from which the cemetery gets its name) the cemetery became urban wasteland and was declared abandoned on April 17, 1973. City government claimed ownership and surveyed graves in the cemetery in 1973 in anticipation of planned development; the revelation of over 5000 burial sites precluded that use. There are over 7800 burials based on death certificate records.
In March 1979, the Rev. H. Greene organized a nonprofit group as African Cemetery No. 2, Inc. to reclaim the site. The cemetery was cleaned and restored in 1980 and African Cemetery No. 2, Inc. was deeded the property in May 1981. The nonprofit was reorganized in 1995 and restoration, historic preservation, and cultural activities have continued since. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. It is the home of Lexington’s longest running Juneteenth Celebration (since 2005). It was certified as a Class I arboretum in 2025.
*Info above and photos below provided by our local host Mark Coyne*
