Shadow Lawn Cemetery

Shadow Lawn Memorial Gardens is a 40-acre cemetery located at 1600 12th Street Southwest in Southwest Birmingham, two blocks south of Elmwood Cemetery. Historically it has served the city's African American community exclusively.

The cemetery property was purchased for $1 in 1889, but its formal use dates to the 1930s. Over 100 Civil War veterans are said to be interred there.

In 2000 the cemetery filed for bankruptcy protection. It was closed from April 2000 until the establishment of the non-profit Shadow Lawn Memorial Gardens Maintenance and Perpetual Care Association in 2005. The association has taken charge of maintaining and securing the property and was designated as the beneficiary of the cemetery's modest trust fund by the courts. The acting president is John Lanier, who is actively researching the numerous "buffalo soldiers" who were laid to rest at Shadow Lawn.

Notable burials

• James P. Lewis, 1919–1995, tennis player and coach
• Matthew Leonard, 1929–1967, Medal of Honor winner
• Carole Robertson, 1949–1963, victim of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing (later moved to Greenwood Cemetery)
• Dolphus Shields, 1859–1950, carpenter, Sunday School superintendent and great-great grandfather of Michelle Obama

References

• Walton, Val (November 4, 2004) "Volunteers' work restores dignity to old city cemetery." Birmingham News
• Ruisi, Anne (April 10, 2008) "Shadow Lawn tour aims to rally support for funds, better maintenance." Birmingham News
• Ruisi, Anne (November 3, 2010) "Buffalo Soldiers to be in spotlight at Veterans Day event at Birmingham's Shadow Lawn cemetery." Birmingham News