We call for an immediate halt to the renaming of the historic Black burial ground on Nesquehoning Street, the restoration of its original title—Nesquehoning Memorial Park (or a dedication honoring the Civil War and Buffalo Soldier veterans interred there)—and full consultation with direct descendants before any dedication takes place.

Why This Matters
In the early 19th century, Aaron Hoff founded the First Colored Lutheran Church in Easton—creating a safe sanctuary where Black Americans could worship, fellowship, and teach scripture. When the church building tragically burned down twice, its resilient congregation integrated with St. John’s Church on Ferry Street, forming the first interracial church in the city of Easton.

The site on Nesquehoning Street served as the sacred, dedicated burial ground for Aaron Hoff’s church. It is the final resting place of at least 32 Black Eastonians, including American heroes who served in the U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) during the Civil War as well as post-war Buffalo Soldiers.

For decades, families and community advocates like Carol Hanlon fought tirelessly to ensure this sacred land was recognized. In January 2024, architect plans titled the project Nesquehoning Memorial Park, and public statements initially dedicated the work to the 32 souls resting in the ground.

Despite these commitments, a resolution was introduced to rename the site "The Clarine Boyer and Frances Ketchen Memorial Park."

No Family Connection: Neither Councilman Ken Brown nor the Boyer and Ketchen families have any historical or direct family ties to the First Colored Lutheran Church or this burial ground.
Misguided Honor: Clarine Boyer and Frances Ketchen contributed meaningfully to Easton and deserve recognition—but not at the expense of displacing the Black families and veterans buried in this soil.
Lack of Family Consultation: This name change was pushed through without the knowledge, consent, or approval of the descendants whose family members rest in this cemetery.
Unanswered Legal & Historical Questions: The site received a $50,000 state grant explicitly awarded for Nesquehoning Memorial Park. Furthermore, historical burial records remain incomplete, with public officials acknowledging that additional ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is needed to determine the true extent of the burials.
A sacred cemetery is not a blank slate for municipal rebranding. Using a historic Black burial ground as a PR gesture strips dignity from the ancestors who built Easton’s Black community.

Our Demands
Halt any upcoming dedication ceremony until historical records are verified, full ground-penetrating radar assessments are complete, and descendants are consulted.
Restore the original name "Nesquehoning Memorial Park"—or dedicate the site in honor of the Civil War and Buffalo Soldier veterans interred there.
Honor Clarine Boyer and Frances Ketchen elsewhere in Easton with a dedicated civic tribute that does not obscure a historic graveyard.
Establish a formal descendant advisory committee to guide all future preservation, signage, and memorialization efforts for the site.

I want to reiterate that neither Frances Ketchen and Clarine Boyer are NOT buried at this cemetery. Their names should be on something that they would be proud of. 

Sign this petition today: Honor the promise made to descendants, respect our veterans, and preserve sacred soil.