Zion Cemetery Remembrance Experience

Groove Jones had the privilege of working with the Special Angels Investments, LLC 501(c)(3) to create an immersive and educational experience http://zioncemeteryrememberance.com/ centered around Zion Cemetery in Tampa, Florida, the oldest known African American Cemetery in the city.

There is a passionate commitment to transforming this historically significant and forgotten burial ground into an interactive teaching tool using emerging technology. Throughout the project, the dedication to shedding light on an important but often overlooked part of history was a key objective.

One significant challenge of this project was how to best create a commemorative digital experience about a location with a history crowded with oppression so that descendants of those buried in Zion can view and learn about what was taken from them. Through research of ceremonial artifacts, newspaper clippings, and witness accounts, we carefully brought forth a story to ensure that the user could comprehend and empathize with the historical context through WebGL and VR.

Groove Jones crafted an interactive, three-dimensional WebGL experience using Three.js technology. The journey begins in a space reminiscent of an AME (African Methodist Episcopal) Church.

This narrative guides users through the cemetery’s history, from its establishment to its destruction and the occupation of the space by housing projects. Each era is explained in detail, highlighting the events that led to the erasure of the past. The experience concludes with a call to action, urging users to contact their representatives and make a change.