Considering Community GIS as a Way Out to Preserve the History of a Community: Perspective Taken from the Historical Brooklyn

by Md Rakibuzzaman

Community geography is an important subset of geography that emphasizes the importance of local knowledge and participatory methods in geographic research. To acquire community knowledge, build relationships, and conduct participatory research, this course is specifically designed to combine theoretical knowledge with an overview of different GIScience techniques under the guidance of Dr. Jerry Shannon. As an ongoing effort to achieve the course objectives, we as a class are working with the community members of Brooklyn Cemetery and exploring its historical background.

Before diving deeper into the main focus of this blog post, I want to provide a brief glimpse of Brooklyn Cemetery. The Brooklyn Cemetery in Athens, Georgia, stands as a testament to the resilience and history of the Black community. Founded in the late 19th century, this burial ground has witnessed generations of African American families who, despite systemic marginalization, have remained steadfast in preserving their heritage. Yet, like many historic Black cemeteries, Brooklyn Cemetery faces threats of erasure—both physically, through encroachment and neglect, and historically, through the fading of collective memory. In the rest of this blog post, I want to focus on how community geography can be an effective tool in uncovering historical narratives, examining the factors affecting these communities, and passing down information through mapping, digital archives, and storytelling to the descendants of those buried here.

To undertake this kind of work, we as a class started off by discussing important theoretical concepts, which I believe is an essential step before engaging with community members or observing a sensitive site. I will briefly discuss some of these theories and connect them with the work we are doing. In the first class, we discussed a central conceptual framework consisting of three primary principles for implementing community-driven projects: (1) Who, (2) Why, and (3) How. This framework provides us with a basic foundation for understanding how community geography (CG) works, how CG empowers a community, the types of stakeholders involved, and the importance of collaborative research. Also, we discussed about Hyphen-spaces, which helped us to understand our positionality in the context of Brooklyn cemetery. We then moved on to another core concept of Black Geography—Plantation Futures by McKittrick—which discusses the history of slavery, contemporary racial and spatial inequalities, and the embedded social and institutional hierarchies that have paved the way for systemic oppression. She also explores the ways in which Black communities resist these forces through the concept of the “Plot.” Simply put, the Plot represents a space of survival, autonomy, and cultural continuity in opposition to the plantation system. To connect these theoretical concepts with practical applications, I, along with some talented scholars, am exploring a particular family plot (e.g., the Daniel family) within Brooklyn Cemetery.
 
The class has been fortunate to have the guidance of community members via a relationship with the Friends of Brooklyn Cemetery, who have helped situate Brooklyn Cemetery within a larger local context in order to understand the significance of this work. Linda E. Davis (representative of Brooklyn cemetery) came to speak with our class back in February, briefly discussing the significance of Brooklyn, the people, and eventually raising a number of questions that we have been exploring through the semester. She pointed out important issues, such as why the number of Black students at UGA has decreased and why Black students continue to face barriers in accessing quality education. In class, we have been thinking about how to carry these questions and stories forward and utilize the power of Community GIS to preserve and share this information with current descendants. In the lab, our group has been extracting and compiling historical data from various sources such as census records, FamilySearch, city directories, and the Ancestry Library. We started by creating conventional maps of the family’s gravesite using QGIS. Many of us have little to no firsthand experience with QGIS, so I would say this has been a great starting point for making maps and presenting spatial data in the most visually effective way possible. However, through Community GIS, we are thinking beyond traditional map design—we aim to present historical data in a way that tangibly connects the past to the present for the community. 

Our work doesn’t stop there. In response to Ms. Linda’s concerns and questions, we are also considering how to present our findings directly to the community, fostering a deeper and more meaningful connection to the cemetery through a public history lens. One approach we are taking is creating ArcGIS StoryMaps, which combine text, media, and maps to present historical information in a format that resonates with community members seeking knowledge about their ancestors or their own family history. This initiative not only archives historical records but also serves as an educational resource, allowing both community members and researchers to engage with Brooklyn Cemetery’s history in a meaningful way.

The University of Georgia (UGA) is a prime example of what Katherine McKittrick has referred to as “plantation geography,” as it is rooted in the exploitation of enslaved Africans and the dispossession of Indigenous lands from the very origins of the institution, a history that has still not been reconciled at present. I am now thinking about how, after completing our project, we might be able to answer some of the concerns raised by Linda E. Davis. What other dimensions—such as institutional and social factors—need to be addressed to fully understand these issues? As part of our ongoing efforts, how can we build trust-based relationships with the community and strengthen their capacity through our digital archive and enhanced StoryMaps? Additionally, it would be valuable to design 3D maps that incorporate sections of the gravesite and various landscape architectural elements, making Brooklyn Cemetery’s historical significance more aesthetic and visible to the public. 

Md Rakibuzzaman is a first-year master's student studying Geography. Rakib is passionate about exploring advances in GIScience and machine learning to visualize spatial data and make data-driven decisions. In the long term, he plans to utilize these skills in his thesis and carry them forward beyond graduation.

Keywords: Community GIS, GIScience, Brooklyn Cemetery, Black History, Historical Preservation