The board Oaklin Springs Cemetery near Oberlin in Louisiana has apologized after learning that the family of a deputy had been told he could not be buried there because he was Black.
Madison and Shayla Semien were shocked when they visited the southwest Louisiana cemetery and were told that they would not be able to buy a plot for their father Allen Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Darrell Semien, who died of cancer Sunday at the age of 55.
“She just looked us cold in the face, and straight up said, ‘I can’t sell you a plot, ” Madison said.
“She said, ‘Unfortunately I’m unable to sell you a plot, this graveyard is not for people of color, it’s white human being cemetery only, ” Shayla added.
Allen Parish family outraged after being denied burial plot
Allen Parish family outraged after being denied burial plot
and last updated 2021-01-27 23:19:41-05
Madison and Shayla Semien were left in shock when they recently visited Oaklin Spring Cemetery near Oakdale to get a plot for their father, Darrell Semien. She just looked us cold in the face, and straight up said, I can t sell you a plot, Madison said. She said, Unfortunately I m unable to sell you a plot, this graveyard is not for people of color, it s white human being cemetery only, Shayla added.
According to the Semiens, the woman at the cemetery had a contract in her hands, which read, The Right of Burial of the Remains of White Human Beings.
Louisiana family denied burial plot in âwhites onlyâ cemetery
The graveyard has since changed its by-laws
Oberlin cemetery is whites only By Jennifer Lott | January 27, 2021 at 9:15 PM CST - Updated January 31 at 4:02 PM
OBERLIN, La. (KPLC) - When the wife of a deceased Allen Parish Sheriffâs Office deputy went to meet with a representative of a cemetery, she was shocked to hear they wouldnât let her husband be buried there.
As it turns out, Oaklin Springs Cemetery in Oberlin only allowed certain races to be buried there.
Since then, the cemetery board has changed the by-laws.
Deputy Darrell Semien was diagnosed with cancer in December. In the last month and 9 days of his life, Semien talked with his family about burial plans, telling them he wanted to be laid to rest at Oaklin Springs Cemetery because it was close to home.
In a textbook case of insult added to injury, one Allen Parish family is still in utter disbelief after their loved one was denied burial in a South Louisiana cemetery due to the color of his skin.
Darrell Semien was an Allen Parish Sheriff s Deputy who served his community for 15 years. Semien was diagnosed with cancer in December of 2020. Over the final few weeks of his life, he expressed to his family that he wanted his final resting place to be the Oaklin Springs Cemetery due to its close proximity to their family home.
It was in their by-laws that the cemetery was ‘white’s only.’ I just kinda looked at her and she said ‘there’s no coloreds allowed.’