On April 11 and 12, 2026, from 10am to 1pm, a group of concerned citizens will gather for a clean-up of Hollywood Cemetery in Memphis, the final resting place of blues legends Furry Lewis and Frank Stokes. If you'd like to volunteer to join them to help in the clean-up, please sign up at: VOLUNTEER

Memphis-born musician and artist Diane Green wrote a Substack post in 2025 drawing attention to the distressing state of the cemetery, which, like Mt. Carmel Cemetery, was owned by a company that was bankrupt as of 2021. The non-profit Mt. Carmel Ally has done amazing work to clean up and maintain Mt. Carmel Cemetery, but Hollywood Cemetery has not been well maintained for many years.

Furry Lewis' music has been appreciated by generations of blues fans since the 1920s, and one of his best-known songs is his version of Blind Lemon Jefferson's song "See That My Grave is Kept Clean." Unfortunately, Lewis' grave and the monument to Frank Stokes, both erected by the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund, are in a shocking state of disrepair.

Since Green's post, a small group of people have been meeting regularly to organize this cleanup and to seek more lasting solutions for the maintenance of the graves of iconic Memphians buried in Hollywood Cemetery and Rose Hill Cemetery.

These efforts are being organized by a diverse group of concerned citizens from Memphis and beyond, including Diane Green, Chicago-based musician, artist, and founder of MUSE; Memphian Cynthia Burse-Wesson, the granddaughter of blues player Charlie Burse; and Margaret Hangan, an archaeologist residing in Arizona, both of whom serve on the board of the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund; and Brooklyn-based filmmaker Augusta Palmer, whose film The Blues Society prominently features the music of Furry Lewis.

Our group would love to connect with descendants and families of anyone buried in Hollywood and Rose Hill Cemeteries. Please reach out and contact us using the information below.

We are looking for volunteers to clear brush, cut grass, and haul away rubbish, including abandoned tires. They would love to invite folks who can bring food and/or play music to raise the spirits of those working on the clean-up. Donations of tools, mowers, and other equipment would be welcome.

Where Your Donations Go: Our Restoration Budget

Restoring 25 acres of history requires both professional expertise and specialized supplies. Here is how we plan to use the funds:

Phase 1: Site Discovery & Safety

Three volunteers are showing up a day early to remove a giant pile of tires! They will be taken to a tire recycler who will not be open over the weekend. There is approximately a ton of tires which will cost $200 to turn over to recycler. We will also need to rent a safe pick up truck to use for that which could be approximately $50 depending on how many trips back and forth we need to make.

Tools, Bug Spray and Work Gloves estimate for an estimated 20 workers: $1890

Coffee, water and snacks for 20 workers: $427 – $597

Later Costs:

Professional Land Surveying: $1,500 – $4,000

Hazardous Tree Removal: $2,000 – $10,000+ (Professional arborists to remove dead trees overhanging headstones)

Heavy Brush Clearing: $150 – $300 per hour (Forestry mulching to clear 10 years of overgrowth)

Phase 2: Headstone Conservation

D/2 Biological Solution: $50 per gallon (The industry standard for safe, non-toxic stone cleaning)

Restoration Supply Kits: $200 (Soft-bristle brushes, bamboo scrapers, and hand sprayers)

Phase 3: Infrastructure & Long-Term Care

Security Fencing: $15 – $50 per linear foot (To protect the site from future vandalism)

Historical Signage: $500 – $2,500 (To identify the cemetery and share its history)

Maintenance Equipment: $9,000+ (Commercial mowers and trimmers to keep the forest from returning)

Security Lighting: $1,000+ (Solar-powered lighting for the entrance and pathways)

Every dollar brings us closer to restoring the dignity and peace that our ancestors deserve. Thank you for being a part of this journey.