The single yellow rose that I saw several days ago when I visited La Maison de Santé, the psychiatric clinic in Nogent-sur-Marne where Beauford underwent treatment after his 1961 suicide attempt, inspired me to visit Beauford's gravesite and place yellow roses on his tombstone.
So, I made my way to Thiais Cemetery to do just that.
I took the metro and the tram to the cemetery on Tuesday, August 22. It was hot, the sky was clear, and the cemetery was peaceful.
The flowers in the beds in front of the conservation office were a bit faded, but they still offered a spray of color near the cemetery's entrance.
© Entrée to Black Paris
I took an indirect route to the tombstone, wanting to approach the grave from a different direction so I could see a bit more of the cemetery.
I visited the tomb of several airline employees who died in a plane crash on a flight between Brazzaville, Congo and Paris in May 1961.
© Entrée to Black Paris
I then walked down the cemetery's Central Avenue to reach the upper border of Division 86, where Beauford is buried.
The neighboring division to the north, Division 87, was so filled with foliage that I decided to stop there first.
It looked like the perfect set for a graveyard scene in a horror movie. I have never seen tombs so overgrown before.
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
One of the paths between rows of stones was physically blocked by blackberry bushes!
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
Division 86 was overgrown as well, but not to the same extent.
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
© Entrée to Black Paris
I found Beauford's tombstone in pristine condition, lying in partial sun, almost like a beacon amidst the crumbling stones nearby.
© Entrée to Black Paris
I cleared away the weeds that I found next to the base of the tomb and laid five yellow roses there.
© Entrée to Black Paris
Over the years, the sun has bleached the coloring in the inscription on the stone beneath Beauford's photo, so it is now difficult to read.
© Entrée to Black Paris
I will investigate how this can be corrected.
Before leaving the cemetery, I went "next door" to Division 94 to see the Jardin du Souvenir to pay my respects to Beauford's friends, Larry Potter and Leroy Hayes. Their ashes were disbursed in this division years ago.
© Entrée to Black Paris
On my way back to the entrance, I saw signs posted at two divisions that announced the reclamation of tombs for which concessions had not been paid.
© Entrée to Black Paris
It was a tangible reminder of why I founded Les Amis de Beauford Delaney - to prevent Beauford's exhumation.
© Entrée to Black Paris
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