The History of the South's Forbidden Black Burials

Ritual is Webby Nominated! Help us out with a vote!

A proper burial is a ceremony that many of us take for granted, but that was not the case for African Americans for a large portion of history in the U.S.

In the premiere of Ritual, Tank Ball explores the often overlooked history of Black burial in Louisiana. From a man honoring his duty as caretaker for his ancestors’ cemetery to a woman fighting to protect the sacred burial sites of her enslaved ancestors, we learn how one of the oldest rituals in history - taking care of the dead - became an act of resilience in the American South.

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In Ritual, Grammy-nominated musician Tank Ball journeys through the long-held rituals and traditions of the South. From the widely-shared to the deeply personal, rituals define a community's relationship between the past and present, and their resonance in the collective regional consciousness.

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[pbsvoices]

Ritual is Webby Nominated! Help us out with a vote!

[rozchristopherson]

I’m 61. My father (born 1920) grew up on a farm in Georgia. Every year when I was a kid, my mom and I went with him during the summer to visit his family back in Georgia. One day, my father and I went for a long walk in a kind of forest just outside his hometown. As I was walking my foot went completely down into a hole. My father ran over to me to help me out of the hole. He told me that we were walking through an old burial ground where slaves were buried. There was no real indication that this was a place of burial except for a few old weathered pieces of wood stuck in the ground as markers. Many enslaved people were just put into the ground without even a coffin. Weeds had grown up all around. Now I understand. These people were not even given the dignity of being able to assemble and bury their dead properly. Thank you for this video.

[Qun]

I do hope Tank becomes the host for this series and it goes on for seasons!
This was a beautiful, educational history of Black Southern tradition! Done with such care and love.

[MignonneC]

As a child, I would often play around the trees behind my grandma's house in Faranah (Guinea, West Africa). Each tree represented an ancestor buried there decades or centuries ago. I ate the fruits (guava, avocado, mango...) and was grateful to know that my ancestors were with me by my mere existence and through the vegetation growing around us. To learn that the ancestors that were forced to cross over did the same there brings up different feelings : joy, belonging, pain, gratitude, pride and so much more!
These verses of a David Diop poem come to mind :
Ils sont dans les Herbes qui pleurent,
Ils sont dans le Rocher qui geint,
Ils sont dans la Forêt, ils sont dans la Demeure,
Les Morts ne sont pas morts.

[stanleyglover]

They have deployed every weapon in their arsenal at us and we have survived and thriving. They are in awe of our incredible resilience 😮😢.

[inviernum]

I feel blessed to have listened to such an incredible story of love and dignity as told by an amazing artist. Thank you PBS for introducing me to the wonder that is Tarriona Ball.

[SoundFieldPBS]

This first episode is already so awesome, can't wait for more Ritual. Also Tank is the coolest

[Lioness]

Born and raised in Louisiana. I know all of my family history dating back to slavery. As a child I grew up cleaning the family grave yard. I use to be scared at night afterwards.

[huldahsroots]

Truly beautiful! I love our culture and traditions. When Harriet Tubman died a tree was planted by her grave and it's still there, very big tree. As a people we need to take care of our burial sites more and keep up the tradition so we never forget our roots.

[coceaux]

This is beautiful. My 3x great grandfather was the only embalmer and mortician in our small town of Natchitoches. To this day, a house that was used as a funeral
Home is still in our family. I honor his memory and service. Ibayé Ephram Pelham

[WavesByWayne]

Tank just continuing to carve her path of greatness. So glad the City is continuing to embrace her as one of its faces!!!

[masonboy]

The young lady conducting this is so warm so beautiful her spirit is amazing i noticed how the gentleman held her hand when they walked off her spirit would of made me feel that comfortable as well in all respect. May she continue to flourish. Good Job PBS.

[to]

When I attended my father-in-law’s funeral in Nigeria, I immediately knew where some of Louisiana’s funeral celebrations originated from.

[c.t.murray]

Thank you for great history of Louisiana. The African-American strength is always been needed, never should have been exploited.

[AboveTheNoise]

This is beautifully produced, written, filmed, and edited. Love to see the light shine on these stories and the ancestors. SO excited to see more from Ritual!

[robertdemitro]

This video was a bitter, sweet thing to watch . The cruelty that black slaves experienced, their right to a dignified funeral and traditions banned was hurtful to watch . But they were able to rise and through a community spirit and the church they had worth in death . The cemetary is so well looked after and I hope that future generations continue to care for their dead with Pride and tradition . Ms. Ball did an excellent job of educating anyone watching her video of the struggles and victories people of colour have had in the South .

[jasont.]

Mourning customs and burial rites of different cultures and peoples have always captivated me. You can learn a lot about a group of people by the way that they care for their dead. Honoring your ancestors is one of the most beautiful and sacred aspects of human history. Such a beautifully, diverse and vibrant time we live in. Thank you for this fascinating video.

[domojackson-grant]

This was sooo good! Please continue. When the pastor sung, "I am on the battlefield for my Lord " that is a staple in black churches ....that brought chills over my body and tears to my eyes because we used to sing that song as well and understanding is everything! This is also relevant to the times we are currently in....

[tynee]

This was everything. You took me to the burial grounds to visit the ancestors, gave me a nice history lesson, and you took me to church!!! Not to mention the fabulous hairstyle. Thanks so much for sharing this!!!

[wanir]

Magnificent, absolutely marvelous 🙏🏽 I'm from New Orleans, and I've tried to research my own family history. I do know that my paternal grandmother's family is from Vacherie, La. But I only know my grandfather's name ( LeBant) sir name. What you are doing is phenomenal ✨️ giving the knowledge of our ancestors is so powerful. Thank you Queen