January 2026 over 8 months Keep Mobile Beautiful worked with so many people and groups and learned so much about Historic Oaklawn Cemetery. The most important lesson is how important the cemetery is to the community and to our history. Over 1000 veterans graves have been located there and about 1000 more are expected to be located. The site has to be clear to look for the veterans and for families to locate loved ones. We tried to connect those that keep up their families sites to others who can and will help and when working together more of the space can be kept looking beautiful. Now that Ana Wright has taken on the restoration of Oaklawn we all need to continue to pitch in to support her work there. Share your family info with her at her website.
Its time for a GIANT THANK YOU to all who participated with us or worked on your own over this last 9 months! It will just be a list but read them all!
Keep America Beautiful®, Mobile County Commissioner Merceria Ludgood of District 1, Jim Ellis PHD, Janie Ligon, Alvin “Alabama” Lovett, Lorenzo Martin, Pastor Sandy McQueen and Truevine Missionary Baptist Church, Pastor Moore and First Baptist Church Carver Home, Ana Wright of 1 Simon, 2 Rubys and Hamp, Veterans Memorial Recovery Team, Vets Recover, Buffalo Soldiers, Montford Point Marines Chapter #33, Mobile County Public Schools JROTC Cadets, Veterans Service Group of Uniti, Student Conservation Association – Gulf Corps, Mobile United – Youth Leadership Mobile, Cottage Hill Baptist Church – Love Where You Live group, Dora Franklin Finley African Heritage Trail, Friends of Zetas, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Gulf Coast Creation Care and Open Table, Japanese Garden Foundation, MGMA, Blue Water Graphics, People United to Advance the Dream, Rock & Roll offs, Coastal Tree Co., and Alabama Arise. Those who were not affiliated with any group are also thanked from the bottom of our hearts and especially those that have loved ones there.
Here are the numbers we collected and estimated with additional input from our partners. Volunteers 773, total volunteer hours 3215, 93 tires removed, total dumpsters of debris removed 10 (200 yds), debris by the street 60 yds. The streets coming in to Holt Rd (Cemetery Ln and Yukers) were cleared of litter on 1/17/26 and please don’t litter signs will be added soon.
May 2025 Affiliate Keep Mobile Beautiful (501c3 nonprofit) has been awarded a 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Corridor Community Grant. These grants are to revitalize and beautify roads, neighborhoods, and parks in or adjacent to areas named in honor of the civil rights leader. The program is supported by Target and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation.
Keep Mobile Beautiful’s proposal includes cleanups and community involvement in the Historic Oaklawn Cemetery, just off Dr. MLK Jr Blvd, at 1800 Holt Rd in Mobile Alabama.
A community kick off meeting was held on Saturday Sept 6th from 9-11 at Truevine Missionary Baptist Church at 1850 Dr. MLK Jr Blvd 36617.
We gathered a lot of information during the meeting and after as we continued discussion with the Community Members in preparation for the work days.
We will continue to promote community support to care for the Cemetery now and into the future. The 3 clean ups will include removal of yard waste, previously dumped materials, and grass and brush removal. Temporary signs will be used to direct work crews by sections and streets.
The community will be asked to provide input regarding signage for the streets and sections so it meets with community approval before purchase an installation.
Many nonprofits and families do care for some areas of the cemetery and we hope this project will encourage even more to participate to protect the history of those interred there. Keep Mobile Beautiful is excited to work with this community of Heros!