In Louisville, Kentucky, a field of grass at St. Louis Cemetery hides the final resting places of many Black Catholics whose graves have gone unmarked for generations. Bellarmine University students, guided by Deacon Ned Berghausen and Linda Fitzgerald, are applying classroom‑learned geographic information systems (GIS) and GPS tools to locate those graves and give families a place to remember their ancestors.
Restoring dignity through technology
“This is some way that we can restore dignity to people and restore dignity to families,” said Michele Abee Biskis, assistant professor of environmental studies at Bellarmine. The project, called the Unmarked Graves Project, began last year when students mapped the cemetery’s East Plot and Section X—areas historically segregated within the burial ground.
Using a grid system and handheld GPS units, the students are now pinpointing individual grave locations. “It would be really hard to know that you have someone in your family who was buried out here, but not know where they actually ended up, or have a place to visit,” explained student Deen Hooper. Bellarmine senior Sam Safly added, “It’s important for them to know that their family members are here and they’re seen.”
Faith‑focused community effort
The effort is rooted in both academic inquiry and a commitment to the Catholic faith. Deacon Berghausen has spent years working to identify Black Catholics buried at St. Louis Cemetery, and the partnership with Bellarmine provides the technical expertise needed to bring those histories to light.
Students plan to continue field work through the semester, using GPS data to create a permanent map that can be shared with families and the broader community. The project not only preserves history but also offers a tangible way for descendants to locate and honor their ancestors.
How locals can get involved
Anyone interested in learning more about their family’s burial site can search the public database at Find A Grave. The university hopes the mapping effort will encourage further research and visitation, fostering a deeper connection between Louisville’s Catholic community and its past.
Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.
