The Northeast Arkansas Regional Archives (NEARA) invites you to its annual fall symposium, “History Written in Stone: Researching Cemeteries to Learn Our History,” Saturday, Sept. 30 in Powhatan, Arkansas, where NEARA is located.

The all-day event will be held in the historic Methodist Church at Powhatan Historic State Park.

This year’s topic was driven by the numerous inquiries NEARA’s archivists receive from genealogists about cemetery records, as they use them regularly in their ancestral and family histories.

This symposium is free and open to the public. Registration is required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/708615918287?aff=oddtdtcreator

Four highly regarded speakers will present current cemetery research, cemetery preservation work, historic burial symbolism observed across Arkansas cemeteries and general cemetery lore.

Speakers include:

- Abby Burnett – Independent researcher, author of Gone to the Grave
- Carla Coleman – Vice-president of Preserving African American Cemeteries (PAAC)
- Holly Hope – Special projects historian for the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (AHPP)
- Tamela Tenpenny Lewis – President of Preserving African American Cemeteries (PAAC)

The symposium will conclude with a tour of the six historic buildings of Powhatan Historic State Park, including a log cabin, commercial building, courthouse, jail, school and church. All structures date back to the 19th century and stand in their original locations.

Complimentary lunch will be served to all registered attendees. Teachers can earn up to three professional development credits.

For more information, please contact Fatme Myuthar-May at 870-878-6521 or [email protected].