Lynn Rainville, Sweet Briar College assistant professor of anthropology, will give a lecture titled, “African-American Cemeteries in Amherst County” at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 20 in the EB Room on the lower level of Dew Hall.

The talk is open to the public and admission is free.

“The lecture presents the results of a multi-year study of historic African-American cemeteries,” Rainville said. “Graveyards provide us with information about more than death and dying. Gravestone inscriptions and cemetery landscapes also provide a window into the history of African Americans in Amherst County.

“In this talk I discuss how we can learn about family history, antebellum genealogy, historic churches, and religious beliefs from cemeteries. I also illustrate how interested individuals can study their own family cemeteries and record important information for future generations.”

Rainville, who has a Ph.D. in near eastern anthropology/archaeology from the University of Michigan, has studied African-American cemeteries in Amherst and Albemarle counties since 2002 and historic New England cemeteries since 1991.

For more information, email lrainville@sbc.edu.