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Fifth Third Bank and Union Baptist Church Partner to Secure Future of Historic United Colored American Cemetery
MADISONVILLE, Ohio — One of Ohio's oldest and most historic African American burial grounds is receiving a significant financial investment designed to restore its deteriorating grounds and safeguard its profound history for generations to come. Announced on Thursday, June 18, 2026, ahead of national Juneteenth holiday commemorations, Fifth Third Bank has forged a major corporate partnership with Cincinnati's historic Union Baptist Church to launch a new era of preservation for the United Colored American Cemetery in Madisonville.
Established in 1844 by the United Colored American Association, the 11.4-acre cemetery serves as the final resting place for generations of Black Americans who helped shape Cincinnati and national history. Etched into the weathered headstones are the names of Underground Railroad conductors, prominent abolitionists, early African American civic leaders, and at least 45 Black veterans of the American Civil War. Union Baptist Church—the second-oldest African American congregation in Cincinnati—has owned and maintained the site since 1968, though limited funding and complex groundskeeping challenges have historically contributed to periods of severe disrepair, tilting monuments, and environmental erosion.
Under the newly formalized partnership, Fifth Third Bank is providing an initial $50,000 grant to kickstart the United Colored American Cemetery Preservation Endowment. Furthermore, the financial institution announced it will match community donations dollar-for-dollar up to $200,000 over the next three years. This multi-year funding stream aims to guarantee the long-term upkeep, security, and perpetual care of the sacred grounds, expanding upon immediate physical restoration work completed by corporate volunteers this spring to clear heavy brush, install new perimeter fencing, and reestablish pedestrian sidewalks along Duck Creek Road.
"Preserving something that's not just important to Cincinnati or the state of Ohio, but it's American history," stated Kala Gibson, Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer for Fifth Third, whose Madisonville Operations Building sits directly across the street from the burial site. "The people that are in this cemetery represent what America stands for and what we aspire to be."
The collaborative preservation push complements a previous $750,000 National Park Service grant awarded to the Union Foundation to assist with cleaning grave markers and utilizing ground-penetrating radar to accurately map unmarked remains. During the dedication ceremony, organizers also unveiled a brand-new historical marker recognizing the cemetery's prominent placement on the National Register of Historic Places.
For the caretakers and families visiting the site over the holiday weekend, the influx of support represents a deeply emotional victory. Rev. Dr. Orlando Yates, Pastor of Union Baptist Church, reflected on the profound spiritual and historical importance of the initiative, noting that the investment honors the life's work and testimony of those interred. Yates shared that visiting descendants were moved to tears by the visible progress, finding immense joy in knowing that their ancestors' sacrifices, achievements, and structural legacies will never be forgotten.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
June 19, 2026
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