Ruffians, Rowdies, & the Sainted Dead

Are the living responsible for the care of the dead, and how far may this responsibility extend? These questions lay at the heart of archaeological and historical research conducted by the Arch Street Project. Our team of volunteer archaeologists, historians, and students have rescued the remains of approximately 500 individuals since construction crews uncovered the burial ground of the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia in 2016. As principal historian for the project, I have spent the last five years conducting and leading research revealing much about this site and the individuals interred within in the hope of identifying these remains and reconnecting deceased individuals with their descendants and descendant communities. As of late, we have combined my archival and data-based historical investigations with modern technologies of skeletal, DNA, and isotopic analysis to great success. But where do we go from here? The law and our professional codes of ethics provide little clear direction. Join me as I present a history of this community of the dead and our efforts to honor their memory and their desired peaceful rest.