NORTHEAST TALLAHASSEE, FL — Ashley Hopkins has spent three years cleaning headstones at historic African American cemeteries across Tallahassee, working to preserve the memory of those buried there.
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Hopkins, a Headstone Preservationist, began watching TikTok videos about headstone cleaning in 2020, and eventually turned that interest into action.
She’s spent the last three years cleaning headstones at historic African American cemeteries across Tallahassee, primarily at the Betton Hills Cemetery.
Her process uses water, quaternary ammonia, and scrubbing — an approach she believes will gradually improve the appearance of the stones over time.
Hopkins has received training from the Florida Public Archaeology Network on proper headstone cleaning techniques.
She cautions others interested in the work to avoid hard brushes and harsh chemicals like bleach, which can damage the stone.
"I think my main goal is cleaning these headstones to just help preserve them for as long as possible, keep them around for as long as possible, and to keep the memory of these individuals alive as long as possible, especially in cemeteries that may have limited access to resources for preservation," Hopkins said.
Hopkins recently received permission to clean unmarked Union soldier headstones at the Old City Cemetery and hopes to eventually clean the entire cemetery.
“I think seeing the impact to the relatives of seeing a clean headstone has just really moved me and helped me see how important this work is, and that it is really meaningful to people,” she said. “It's just fueled my passion even further to keep doing this work.”
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