Help us preserve the rich history of Malone's historic church and cemetery
Preserving History and Conserving the Past for our Future
Our Mission...
To preserve the history and continue to educate the surrounding communities near and far of the breathtaking African-American heritage of our ancestors from Harrisville/Madison and neighboring areas. To tell the stories of their faith, strength, and love for their church, families and communities.
About Us
Preserving the Past
The descendants of the community have done their best to maintain the site, by contributing to a fund for maintenance of the site and cemetery plots, but which has not been able to maintain the church building. Currently, the church has a deteriorating roof, a cracked and uneven brick pier foundation, several missing or boarded windows, encroaching vegetation, the remains of a demolished bathroom addition clinging to an exterior wall, evidence of vandalism and animal predation on the inside of the building, original features obscured by faux coverings, and water damage to the interior and exterior. While the site is minimally maintained, many of the older graves are unmarked, inadequately marked, or feature cracked covers, which threaten to expose, or perhaps even completely relinquish, remains to the surface.
Our History
The cultural and historic significance of Malone’s Church is vast —the building itself serves as a beacon to a better understanding of the black experience in Dorchester County; one of the last remaining physical vestiges of a community that persevered in the face of slavery, the Civil War, reconstruction, and Jim Crow. The building and site provide a record of the many lives that helped develop the industry and economy and spirituality of Dorchester County in the 19th century. By the 1830s approximately 40 free families lived in this immediate area, the great majority having intermarried with dozens more enslaved families held in bondage by the local white landowners. By the 1850s, nearly two-dozen free families owned land here. This site speaks to their dedication to spirituality, freedom, family, and education.
Get Involved
Through donations, support from our community, local officials, and other partners, we hope the property will become the site of an interpretive center focused on providing detailed information on the legacy of Harriet Tubman, the historic and culture context that she existed in, and the community that fostered her development.
Meet Malone's Stewards
President
Vice President
Vice President
Renna McKinney
Vice President
Vice President
Vice President
Candace Giles
Treasurer
Vice President
Secretary
Nona Stanely
Secretary
Cemetery Manager
Secretary
Myisha Johnson
Cemetery Manager
Cemetery Manager
Cemetery Manager
Jerome Harris
Grounds Keeper
Cemetery Manager
Cemetery Manager
Bernard Pages