Naming Dedication: Concord Reformatory Cemetery

Join us in honoring the men buried at the Concord Reformatory Cemetery with a naming dedication, where each individual will be remembered. Sunday,

Date: Sunday, October 6, 2024

Time: 2:00-4:00pm

Location: Gerow Pavilion, 369 Commonwealth Ave, Concord, MA 01742

For more information or to volunteer as a speaker, please contact Liz at liz@therusts.net

About the Cemetery:

The Concord Reformatory Cemetery is the final resting place of 218 men, each buried in a grave marked only by a plot number.

The cemetery, marked by a large white cross mounted on a cement pedestal and visible from Route 2, stands as a silent reminder of these forgotten men. By naming them, we recognize them as individuals, not numbers. In doing so, we transform their markers into monuments and honor those who died while in custody.

Through dedicated research and archiving, we are uncovering and preserving the stories of these individuals. These stories will be told through short biographies that provide details about their lives and incarceration. With the invaluable help of Lisa Kennedy and her students at the Massachusetts College of Art, we’ve also created memorial illustrations for each individual interred at the cemetery. These memorials will be featured on an interpretive panel at the entrance of the cemetery and accessible via a QR code, linking to biographies and artwork. Additionally, the Special Collections at the Concord Free Public Library will preserve these biographies and illustrations, ensuring their stories are remembered for generations to come. This work has also been made possible with support from the Friends of the Concord Free Public Library and the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail Advisory Committee.

Your support makes this meaningful project possible, and we are deeply grateful for your commitment to remembering these men and their lives.