What does a day in the life of a Cemetery CEO look like? (It’s a lot more lively than you might envision!) Get the inside scoop from Historic Oakland Foundation’s CEO & President Richard Harker.

"You never get a second chance to make a first impression," as the saying goes. For many visitors, Oakland Cemetery's iconic red-brick gate is their first glimpse of our 48-acre historic site.

To make sure that first impression is as striking as the rest of the grounds, we launched a fundraising campaign beginning in 2025 and embarked on a full-scale restoration of this beloved Atlanta landmark.

This year’s Juneteenth programming honors the generations that suffered under enslavement, shares the origins of Juneteenth, and celebrates Atlanta’s rich legacy of Black history, culture, and achievement

As we prepare to celebrate Juneteenth at Oakland, we spoke to Abra Lee, Historic Oakland Foundation’s Director of Horticulture, to learn more about her approach to garden design in the Historic African American Burial Grounds.

We are excited to share that the American Association for State and Local History has selected Historic Oakland Foundation as a recipient of the History in Progress Award and Award of Excellence for the Oakland Roots Academy, HOF’s workforce development program for high school students across Metro Atlanta.

While Historic Oakland Foundation is now supported by more than twenty full-time staff members, volunteer work remains at the heart of everything we accomplish. To honor the contributions our volunteers made and continue to make, we hosted an action-packed Week of Service from June 1–6.

Oakland’s stately, ever-welcoming front door is getting a major makeover. And now, the work has begun.

Oakland’s Preservation and Restorations Team has a straightforward goal — restoring and preserving 48 acres of Atlanta history, stories, and monuments. But their work also offers an opportunity for emerging professionals to learn and gain hands-on field experience.

illumine has returned! Check out event our photos to get a glimpse of what awaits.

Oakland’s iconic marble and granite monuments may steal the spotlight, but its bricks are just as integral to the cemetery’s history. Ashley Shares, Director of Preservation, delves into the fascinating stories behind Oakland’s bricks in this blog.

Historic Oakland Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of four new members to its Board of Directors: Sean Fahie, Mary Ellen Imlay, Steve Goodman, and Chelsea Ulrich Tarnoff.

Meet the diverse & dynamic Atlanta artists, curated in partnership with Cat Eye Creative, who will transform Oakland for 2026’s illumine art experience.

Many of Oakland’s centenarians are Black residents, who experienced successes, triumphs, trials and tribulations throughout their 10 decades of life. Black centenarians in Oakland are a diverse group of Atlantans who demonstrate exceptional courage, resilience, and perseverance and can further provide a culturally informed perspective of Atlanta history. 

Spring is set to spring at Oakland, and that means another exciting season of events in Atlanta for all ages!

Looking for free family activities, enriching arts classes, in-depth tours, or a unique date night? Whatever you’re searching for this spring, we’ve got you covered.

Built to hold plants, but now ready to welcome people, the Beaumont Allen Greenhouse is set to make its grand return.

If you happened to walk through Oakland on the morning of January 19, 2026, you would have spotted Oakland-branded beanies and Trees Atlanta t-shirts throughout the Cemetery, often clustered around piles of dirt, impressively sized root balls, or freshly-planted saplings.

Looking for an engaging, hands-on day of learning that gets kids out of the house? Look no further — Oakland Homeschool Days are back!

We are excited to announce a collaboration with The Grief House to relocate the Atlanta Wind Phone to historic Oakland Cemetery in Spring 2026.

2025 has been an amazing year. In this season of gratitude, I am so grateful and proud of the staff, volunteers, partners, community, visitors, donors, and members who make Oakland what it is: a vibrant part of the community, unlike any cemetery in the country.

We are excited to share that our 2026 Camps are open for registration.

This year, we’re offering eight week-long Atlanta summer camps for school vacation, as well as a Winter Break Camp from February 16–20, Spring Break Camp from April 6–10, and a Fall Break Camp from October 12–16.