By: Robert Jowaiszas, Community Editor/Reporter
WEST NYACK — On Tuesday, Nov. 11th at 10 a.m., the community is invited to a very special Veterans Day service at Mount Moor Cemetery, a quiet, historic African American burial ground tucked beside the Palisades Center Mall. This small cemetery, just 0.27 acres, holds stories of courage, sacrifice, and resilience that deserve to be remembered and shared.
Mount Moor was established on July 7, 1849, when James and Jane Benson deeded the land to three local men—William H. Moore, Stephen Samuels, and Isaac Williams—as a burial place “for colored people.” At the time, segregation prevented African Americans from being buried in most other cemeteries, making Mount Moor a vital sanctuary for dignity in life and death.
Over the years, the cemetery became the final resting place for about 300 men, women, and children, including 32 veterans who served in every major American conflict from the Civil War through the Korean War. One of the remarkable stories is that of Solomon E. Miller, born in 1843 in Amsterdam, NY. Miller served as a Civil War substitute—hired by another man to take his place—and was present at the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865. Imagine the sight: formerly enslaved men standing victorious, as proud plantation owners bowed their heads in defeat. Miller returned home after the war and eventually passed away in Nyack on September 26, 1918, at age 75.
Mount Moor also holds the graves of Buffalo Soldiers, including Lafayette Logan of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, as well as Hezekiah Easter Jr., Rockland County’s first African American legislator. Easter played a crucial role in saving Mount Moor from destruction during the construction of the Palisades Center Mall in the 1990s. He passed in 2007 and was laid to rest beside his father and brother, standing sentinel over the cemetery he fought to protect.
This year’s Veterans Day program will feature keynote speaker John Allen Murphy, veteran and former Rockland County legislator, and will honor Bertis Blanks, Curtis McDuffie, and the Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran Peer Support Program at BRIDGES. The ceremony also celebrates the legacy of Buffalo Soldiers and all African American veterans who served their country with bravery and dignity, even in the face of discrimination.
Although tucked amid the hustle of shopping centers and parking lots, Mount Moor Cemetery offers a moment to pause, reflect, and learn. Its stories are not only about those who are buried there—they are about the history of African Americans in Rockland County and the broader struggle for equality and respect. The cemetery also hosts the annual Memorial Day ceremony, another opportunity for the community to honor these remarkable men and women.