Re “Righting grave wrongs: Virginia General Assembly approves funds for 2 area historic African-American cemeteries; state has been paying for upkeep of Confederate graves for 100 years,” Feb. 23-25 edition:

As a Richmond native, I found this article extremely interesting but not hard to believe. This is a clear indication and example of the prolonged issue of racism and degradation of minority groups, specifically African-Americans.

It is painful to know that even in death, there is still a lack of equality and concern for the well-being of black people.

After reading this article, I did a search to compare the two cemeteries against a predominantly white cemetery in Richmond. I instantly saw more plant life than headstones and many destroyed headstones at East End and Evergreen cemeteries. Some pictures even featured exposed human remains casually lying next to headstones.

However, in the pictures of Hollywood Cemetery, I noticed fine and intact headstones beautifully overlooking Downtown.

According to the article, many people think it’s such a “great” thing that the government has finally approved funding for these two cemeteries. Though I agree, I am still distraught by how long it took for these historically African-American cemeteries to even get this attention, while also doubting that they will receive as much funding as the “Confederate soldiers, whose graves the state has paid private groups to tend for 100 years.”

DAIJA LITTLE

Harrisonburg

The writer is a student at James Madison University.