April A to Z Challenge 2020: It’s that time of year! Every April, bloggers around the world make posts for each letter of the alphabet. It’s a lot of fun and a great way to make friends online. Here’s my post for today:
[The following is an adapted excerpt from my book, Understanding Cemetery Symbols. I hope you enjoy it! Also, full disclosure: that’s an Amazon affiliate link. If you buy stuff after clicking it, I make a few pennies at no additional cost to you.]
First Black Millionaire in Texas
William “Gooseneck” McDonald was born in 1866 to parents who had both been slaves. Yet in his lifetime, he became a successful businessman and politician. McDonald was so successful, in fact, that he became the first black millionaire in Texas!
Opulent Obelisk in Trinity Cemetery
Gooseneck McDonald is buried in Trinity Cemetery, which is the black section of Fort Worth’s Oakwood Cemetery. As you can see, his 38-foot-tall obelisk towers over the other monuments in the burial ground.
Full View of the Local KKK Building
This pricey monument was placed in a very particular spot, however. McDonald made sure that his monument stood in full view of the building where the local faction of the KKK met!
Learn More & Take a Virtual Cemetery Tour with Me:
I recently paid a visit to Gooseneck McDonald’s magnificent monument and shared a video to YouTube. Come along with me to learn:
- What do obelisks symbolize?
- How did William Gooseneck McDonald use his grave to taunt the KKK in Fort Worth, Texas?
- What does it mean when Christians use ancient Egyptian symbols in graveyards?
- And more!
Learn more at my Historic Cemetery Podcast & YouTube Channel:
Do you have questions about headstone symbols? Drop by my YouTube channel and let me take you one some virtual cemetery tours! You can also tune in to my 30-minute historic cemetery podcast on the first Tuesday of each month: Tombstone Tuesday with Tui Snider.
READ MY BOOK: If you enjoy historic cemeteries and want to learn more, check out my book: Understanding Cemetery Symbols. It’s available on Amazon in paperback and ebook form.
Grab a FREE copy of my book:
Tui Snider is an author, speaker, and photographer who specializes in North Texas travel, cemetery symbols, and haunted lore. As she puts it, “I used to write fiction – but then, I moved to Texas!”
Snider’s best-selling books include Paranormal Texas , Understanding Cemetery Symbols, and 100 Things to Do in Dallas - Fort Worth Before You Die.
Snider has several more books in progress, and enjoys connecting with writers and readers all over the globe through social media, her newsletter and her website: TuiSnider.com.
I’m not generally a huge fan of ostentatious grave monuments, but in this case I think it was fully justified!
(Click the Blog link on the second row) : K is for Kittens
Same here! And agreed. What a man that Gooseneck McDonald was. Wonder what he’d be doing if he were alive today?