OAKHILL CEMETARY Tour set to honor black veterans

The tour of Civil War soldiers' graves will take place Saturday.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A local man is hoping an afternoon walk through a local cemetery will dispel certain myths, enlighten the young and pay homage to some who rest there.
Youngstown native Steffon Jones slowly walks between the headstones on top of the hill in the soldiers lot section of Oakhill Cemetery. He knows who lies in each grave without looking at the often-faded names on the headstones marking each grave.
Jones has walked among the graves of these black Civil War veterans many times before -- spending the last six years studying their service to this country and their lives in general. Now he wants others in the community to walk through the cemetery and learn of their lives, too.
Saturday, Jones will be conducting a tour of the black Civil War soldiers' grave sites and offering a wealth of information on the life of each soldier buried in the cemetery. Interested individuals should meet at the entrance to the cemetery at noon.
According to Jones, at least 25 black Civil War veterans are buried in the cemetery.
Learning about the veterans
In his research, he has gone beyond the service life of the veterans. He knows details about each man, such as his occupation, his family, his personality.
Jones said the tour will enlighten those in attendance and provide information that can be passed on in families from one generation to the next. He said information provided on the tour will also reveal the truth about the cemetery.
"It has been said through the generations in my family, and other black families that I have spoken with, that there are no blacks buried in Oakhill Cemetery," he said. "This tour will let everyone know these men are here."
Jones said he first learned of the black soldiers buried there through a book by another Civil War veteran. With a lifelong interest in the Civil War, he said he naturally picked up on the research of who the men were.
"I think it is important that the history of the black Civil War veteran be known. I have liked Civil War history ever since I was 12 and wondered how could these guys stand up and be shot like that -- that is basically what got me started," he said.
Looking beyond Valley
Dr. Nathaniel Chism, a representative of Omega Productions in Youngstown, is hoping to take the research conducted by Jones beyond the Mahoning Valley. He said plans are in the works to create audio and videotapes based on Jones' findings.
"The research Steffon is doing is important not only for Youngstown, but we believe, for the entire United States. So we want to go beyond the Mahoning Valley and get this information out there for other historians to use," he said.
As for those attending Saturday's tour, Jones said there will be no rushing through the life stories of the Civil War veterans.
"I am telling everyone to pack a lunch and three Snickers bars because it has taken me three years to put this information together and I am not going to rush through it," he said.
jgoodwin@vindy.com