Diane Merritt, owner of surrounding land and congregant of Harmony Grove Missionary Baptist Church, looks over the historic Harmony Grove Baptist Church Cemetery. The land has been passed down through generations since Ervin Merritt, Merritt’s great-grandfather and former slave, inherited over 600 acres from the Bowers family. (Photo/Adriana Cascio)
A seemingly insignificant pile of stones rests in the historic Harmony Grove Baptist Church Cemetery. Originally scattered across the field, these stones represented grave markers for slaves, and once moved, dozens of burial sites were unidentified. (Photo/Adriana Cascio)
A bare stone sits in the grass of Harmony Grove cemetery, marking where a slave has been buried. The cemetery is littered with these stones, covering more than half of the land. (Photo/Adriana Cascio)
An etched stone marks the burial site of a slave in Harmony Grove Cemetery. Many stones were left unmarked, but few have names and dates etched into the stone dating back to the 1700s. (Photo/Adriana Cascio)
An etched stone marks the burial site of a slave in Harmony Grove Cemetery. Many stones were left unmarked, but few have names and dates etched into the stone dating back to the 1700s. (Photo/Adriana Cascio)
Harmony Grove Missionary Baptist Church, located at 775 Merritt Road, Canon, still hosts Sunday service every week with about 10 congregants. The church has had two previous locations torn down, erasing centuries of history. (Photo/Adriana Cascio)
By Adriana Cascio
Leading News Reporter
A white building, crowned with a modest steeple, marks the location of Harmony Grove Missionary Baptist Church, established as Harmony Grove Baptist Church …
