Cemeteries
Description
This collection documents 29 cases of public opposition towards American Muslim cemetery building projects from 2002 to 2023. Each case contains a narrative that describes its events, which was compiled through analyzing newspaper archives via NewsBank and NexisUni.
The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism.
This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries.
The primary challenge American Muslim communities face when establishing cemeteries is obtaining administrative approval from an entity such as a city council or board of commissioners. Residents' concerns related to groundwater contamination, lowered property values, and aesthetics often pressure authorities to deny cemetery projects. These reasons for opposition differ from those involving mosques, which tend to focus on increased traffic, violations of noise ordinances, and the potential for terrorism.
This collection is more comprehensive than other compilations of cemetery cases, which cover a limited timeframe, are no longer current, or need to be updated (e.g., Pew Research Center 2012, Younes 2017, ACLU 2017, New America 2018, HuffPost 2024). However, it does not fully represent all controversies surrounding American Muslim cemeteries, as it focuses on post-2000 cases and does not include cases of vandalism against established cemeteries.
Creator
Ryan Wang
Contributor
Current and former Oxford College of Emory University students: Sofia Fonti, Ben Damon, Geneva Cunningham, Ameer Alnasser, Nadira Hassan, Chloe Peyrebrune, Lauren Yee, Ammarah Ahmed, Alexander Cleveland, Ehren Fernandez, Andres Lebed Wright, Bryce Bentinck, Rahim Khan Alidina, Ayman Badawy, George Drakos, Shahmeer Khan, and Snehitha Vardhineni.
Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl
Project supervisor: Dr. Florian Pohl
Collection Items
Newton County, GA
A Doraville Muslim community meets public resistance to buying land in Newton County for a burial ground. Due to controversy, the county pauses worship building permits and holds public listening sessions about the proposed project. A subsequent BOC…
Lilburn, GA
The congregation sought permission to expand two buildings into a 20,000-square-foot complex with a mosque, gym and cemetery. The Lilburn City Council rejected this proposal in November 2009 and a scaled-down proposal in December 2010. After the U.S.…
San Martin, CA
The Muslim community of the South Valley Islamic Center (SVIC) in San Martin seeks to build a mosque, community center, and cemetery because their current place of worship, a barn, is insufficient for the growing community. Despite gaining approval…
Farmersville, TX
In 2015, the Islamic Association of Collin County (IACC) spearheads the development of a cemetery for American Muslims of Collin County. The project meets with opposition from the residents of Farmersville, TX. Despite a recommendation for approval…
St. Lucie County, FL
In June 2013, St. Lucie County commissioners approved a rezoning application for a Muslim cemetery over the opposition of local residents. Added traffic, potential groundwater contamination, and the character of the residential neighborhood were…
Stafford County, VA
In May 2015, the All Muslim Association of America (AMAA) purchased a property on Garrisonville Road zoned for cemetery use. However, in December 2016, the Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted to change the county’s cemetery ordinance to…
Gwinnett County, GA
In February 2002, the Gwinnett County Municipal Planning Commission unanimously approved a request for a special-use permit by the Georgia Islamic Institute of Religious and Social Sciences (GIIRS) to construct a five-acre cemetery on New Hope Road…
Snellville, GA
Following public protest in 2015, the Gwinnett County Commission votes unanimously to deny the Community of Bosniaks’ petition for a cemetery. The Community of Bosniaks declined to appeal the denial, although the county’s staff review and planning…
Cobb County, GA
In April 2016, the East Cobb Islamic Center (ECIC) received a special-use permit to build its cemetery. However, after construction began, Cobb County residents opposed the project at public hearings. Opponents cited adverse effects on property…
Bullitt County, KY
In February 2013, the Bullitt County Board of Adjustments rejects the Louisville Islamic Center’s application for a conditional use permit for an Islamic cemetery on land zoned agricultural. Several citizens had voiced concerns over groundwater,…