News

Whiteford’s Pro Bono Role in Preservation of Historic African American Cemeteries

Attorneys from Whiteford’s Richmond office recently served as pro bono counsel to Enrichmond Foundation, which was at one point an umbrella organization for numerous Richmond area nonprofits and the owner of three historic African American burial grounds, Evergreen, East End, and Forest View Cemeteries, all located in Richmond, Virginia.  These cemeteries are the final resting places for, among others, Maggie Walker, the civil rights activist and first African American woman to charter a bank, and John Mitchell Jr., a prominent newspaper editor on “Black Wall Street.” 
 
A Whiteford team led by Zanas Talley and assisted by Vern Inge and Robert Drewry led a syndicate of private and public attorneys in the review, preparation, and finalization of corporate and real estate documents to support the City of Richmond’s acquisition of these historic sites.  With the transfer to the City now complete, Richmond and its Department of Parks and Recreation will restore and maintain the burial grounds and create meaningful opportunities for community involvement and education.

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About Whiteford:  Whiteford provides a comprehensive range of business law and litigation services to clients ranging from innovative start-ups to middle market companies to Fortune 100 enterprises. With a growing Mid-Atlantic footprint that includes offices in Delaware, D.C., Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, Whiteford serves clients regionally, nationally and internationally.