About

Historic Oakland Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 1976 as the “friends of” group for Oakland Cemetery. 

Our Mission

Partner with the City of Atlanta to preserve, restore, enhance, and share Oakland Cemetery with the public as an important island of tranquility in the heart of the city.

Our Vision

A revered cemetery and vibrant park honoring Atlanta’s past and celebrating its future.

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Our Core Values

Excellence

We conduct all work in pursuit of the highest professional standards and strive to push the boundaries of excellence.

Sustainability

We focus on the long-term environmental, programmatic, organizational, and financial resiliency of HOF and of Oakland Cemetery.

Community

We center, serve, and empower Oakland’s communities and strive to make Oakland Cemetery a place that includes and engages all.

Integrity

We prioritize honesty, transparency, and the highest ethical standards in fulfilling our mission and serving the Cemetery and stakeholders.

Our Partnership with the City of Atlanta

Oakland Cemetery is a City of Atlanta park managed in partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation. The Historic Oakland Foundation staff works collaboratively and closely with the City of Atlanta to fulfill the organization’s mission of preserving, restoring, enhancing, and sharing historic Oakland Cemetery.

Sexton Sam Reed manages a crew of city employees who are responsible for the publicly maintained areas and buildings. HOF works closely with Sexton Reed and the Department of Parks and Recreation through a Memorandum of Understanding to care for and share historic Oakland Cemetery.

Our Staff

Our dedicated staff includes both part-time and full-time employees who work in a wide range of specialties. Our departments include Development, Education, Gardens, Marketing, Preservation & Restoration, Private Events, Operations, Special Events, and the Visitor Center & Oakland Store.

For burials, filming, or permitting, contact Sexton Sam Reed: at 404-658-6019.

Open Roles

No open roles at this time.

Our Board

  • Kavin Manickaraj

    Chair

  • Barrett Coker Krise

    Vice Chair

  • Sweta Gurnani

    Treasurer

  • Aaron Topol

    Secretary

Executive Committee

  • Donovan Johnson

  • Christopher Leerssen

  • Glen Manjos

Trustees

Sofia Aun
Bruce Barfield
Tim Bentsen
Rabbi Peter Berg
Charlotte Christian

Rhonda Collins
Greg Farr
Bem Joiner
Garry Long

Glen Manjos
Larry Mansfield
Samantha McDonald
Scott Parker
Gigi Rouland

Plan Your Visit

Oakland Cemetery is open from dusk to dawn and is free to visit.

The Oakland Visitor Center and Store is open from 10 AM to 5 PM daily and is located at 374 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr SE. Guided Oakland Tours are available daily at 10:30 AM. Purchase tour tickets.

Our Annual Events

Oakland hosts programs year-round, but our annual events are at the heart of our connection with Atlanta and surrounding communities. Ticketed events support HOF’s mission to preserve, restore, and share Oakland, while free events invite visitors to experience cultural programs, family activities, and the cemetery’s rich history.

Capturing the Spirit of Oakland

Designed to enlighten rather than frighten, these tours bring to life the stories of some of the cemetery’s notable and notorious residents and allow visitors to experience Oakland Cemetery after dark.

Juneteenth Family Festival 

Celebrate Black history at Oakland, with tour of Oakland’s historic African American Burial Grounds, live music, storytelling for children, a vendor market and more.

Oakland Cemetery’s beloved fall festival, based on the Victorian tradition of spending a leisurely day in the cemetery.

Sunday in the Park

A family-friendly fall event featuring seasonal activities, festive photo ops, a children’s area, pumpkin sales, shopping for autumn decor & handmade goods, and more.

Pumpkin Patch Festival

After sunset, Oakland is transformed. Unique and interactive art exhibits illuminate the historic grounds and bring new life to Oakland’s stories and mysteries.

illumine

Celebrate Day of the Dead with dance, crafts, food, and altars honoring loved ones. Presented in partnership with the Consulate General of Mexico and the Oficina de Enlace GTO-Georgia.

Día de Muertos Festival

Spring & Fall Plant Sales

Shop a curated selection of rare plants in support of the maintenance of Oakland’s garden.

Run Like Hell 5k

The largest cemetery run in the country, participants are encouraged to “run like hell” while the Oakland grounds are “pushing up daisies”!

 Contact us

  • 374 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr SE

    Atlanta, GA 30312

  • 404-549-8932

  • Contact kgomez@oaklandcemetery.com

  • info@oaklandcemetery.com