The John and Ellen Oliver Foundation, Inc.

The John and Ellen Oliver Foundation works to preserve and protect historic Black heritage sites, document the people and communities connected to them, and ensure that their stories remain visible for future generations.

Named in honor of John and Ellen Oliver, freemen and Black landowners during the Reconstruction era, the Foundation reflects the legacy of a family and community that used landownership, faith, education, and collective effort to help build and sustain the historic Ben Hill community. John and Ellen were among the early landowners connected to Cobb Bethel, conveying land for the church in 1887, while their family’s land would also become connected to education and community development in Ben Hill.

Our flagship initiative, the Cobb Bethel Preservation Project, focuses on preserving Cobb Bethel A.M.E. Cemetery, a historic African American cemetery in southwest Atlanta with deep ties to the church and generations of Ben Hill families. The cemetery preserves the stories of freemen, formerly enslaved people, Black landowners, farmers, veterans, entrepreneurs, and other community builders whose lives helped shape the area.

Through historic preservation, research, education, volunteer engagement, and community partnerships, the Foundation works to protect endangered cultural resources, recover underrepresented histories, and connect future generations with the people and places that helped build their communities.

The John and Ellen Oliver Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving historic Black heritage sites, documenting the people and communities connected to them, and helping ensure that their stories remain accessible to future generations.

Our flagship initiative, the Cobb Bethel Preservation Project, focuses on the preservation of Cobb Bethel A.M.E. Cemetery in southwest Atlanta. The cemetery is historically connected to Cobb Bethel A.M.E. Church and the Ben Hill community and contains the graves of generations of Black families, including formerly enslaved individuals, landowners, farmers, veterans, entrepreneurs, and community members whose lives reflect the growth and development of the area.

The cemetery was officially registered with the City of Atlanta in 2024. Since then, preservation work has expanded to include professional cemetery documentation, historical and genealogical research, ground-penetrating radar, surveying, property and title research, and planning for the long-term protection of the site.

The Foundation works with historians, universities, preservation professionals, descendants, volunteers, and community partners to document and protect the cemetery while bringing greater public attention to the history represented there.

Our work extends beyond physical preservation. We also seek to recover overlooked histories, strengthen connections between communities and their heritage, and create opportunities for volunteers and future generations to participate in meaningful preservation work.

Through the Cobb Bethel Preservation Project and future initiatives, the Foundation is building a broader effort to protect historic Black places and ensure that the people connected to them are remembered.

Learn More About Our Current Preservation Work

Cobb Bethel Preservation Project:

https://cobbbethelcemetery.carrd.co/

Atlanta News First coverage:

https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/11/17/volunteers-host-clean-up-event-atlantas-cobb-bethel-ame-church/

Cobb Bethel Cemetery Survey & StoryMap:

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/c68164fde4814fc2ae2ea8227c4e986f