Burial grounds for slaves at former Midway Plantation get a headstone: 'We honor enslaved Hintons'

KNIGHTDALE, N.C. (WTVD) -- There's now a marker sitting in the heart of the Widewaters Village community that honors and recognizes the 130 souls resting there who never got to live as free men and women.

ABC11 Eyewitness News was there for the unofficial unveiling of it.

Jill Jackson led this yearlong effort, "Yes, nothing but love for my community," she said after reading the marker.

The headstone reads: "Today and always, we honor the enslaved Hintons of the Midway Plantation, known and unknown, buried here in unmarked graves. May they rest in peace forever free."

Jackson organized clean-up efforts and put out the call to raise $2,000 for this marker, which now sits on sacred burial grounds.

It was once Midway Plantation and was owned by the Hinton family. It is believed to be one of the largest plantations in Wake County. Census records from 1860 revealed more than 100 enslaved people lived on the property.

The owner, Charles Hinton, was one of the few men living in Wake County who owned more than 100 slaves.

Donald Debnam is a descendant of the enslaved Hintons and can only imagine the pain his ancestors endured.

"I'm thankful that they had the fortitude to survive their circumstances," said Debnam. " I take great comfort in knowing that if my ancestors can survive this I can survive anything as a free person."

He is proud to see the day that a marker finally serves as a headstone for every person buried here. Falana Mann-Dixon called this recognition overdue.

"To be an African American owning property on land that they can only work and never take possession of is really an amazing experience," she said.

Moving forward, if you happen to stumble upon this marker in Widewaters Village on your afternoon stroll just know that the spirit of those buried here lives on.

"Even though they were not free, we are free and we have the freedom to do this for them," said Mercedes Garner who lives in Knightdale.

WATCH | Knightdale community works to preserve enslaved burial grounds

"Could there be folks actually buried underneath our homes? We think about that now that we've been educated."

SEE ALSO | Black family roots lost by slavery being uncovered in Raleigh, Wake County

As many as 100,000 black people toiled in bondage on plantations in Wake County and Raleigh before the Civil War. But most of their names and stories are lost to history.

WATCH | Lunsford Lane's death-defying journey out of slavery in NC