Historic Oakland Cemetery celebrates milestone

ATLANTA - It’s one of the most beloved and peaceful places in Metro Atlanta, and this October, Historic Oakland Cemetery is celebrating a major milestone.  40 years ago, the Historic Oakland Foundation became a federally-recognized nonprofit, and it’s been preserving the legendary cemetery ever since.

The Foundation is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a month of special activities geared toward bringing people to the cemetery.  It all began with the free Sunday in the Park festival on October 1,  and continues this Saturday, October 14, with the 10th annual Run Like Hell 5K race.  The event serves as a Peachtree Road Race qualifier, and will also raise funds this year to support the Foundation’s African American Grounds restoration project.  The final two weekends of October will mark the return of the Capturing the Spirit of Oakland Halloween Tours, which allows guests to visit the cemetery at night and hear the stories of some of its permanent residents.

Good Day Atlanta’s Paul Milliken spent the morning at Historic Oakland Cemetery, learning more about the mission of the Foundation and why October is the perfect month to visit.