​Hidden just beyond the manicured lawns of Johns Creek’s affluent neighborhoods lies a sacred ground fading from history: the Macedonia African Methodist Church Cemetery, also known as the historic Warsaw AME cemetery, one of the last intact cemeteries in the Atlanta area where formerly enslaved people are buried. Local surveys document roughly 105 to 114 burials, with many likely unmarked and vulnerable, and the earliest marked grave from 1893. Here rest formerly enslaved people, their first and second generation descendants, veterans, and members of the African American community who worshiped at Macedonia Church through the 1980s.

 

Once the heart of Warsaw AME Church, this two-acre sanctuary was a beacon for Johns Creek’s African American community, a place of worship and resilience forged in slavery’s shadow. Since the City of Johns Creek acquired it from Fulton County in 2021, neglect has deepened; headstones are overturned and crumbling, overgrowth is choking the soil, graves are desecrated by indifference, and unmarked ones at risk as tree limbs litter the grounds. It is unconscionable in 2025, in a prosperous city, to debate stewarding formerly enslaved souls’ resting place. Under the current City Council, the city ignores this hallowed land despite $4+ million FY2025 budget excess, refusing proper upkeep and restoration. 

 

After decades of broken promises, the city proposed transferring the cemetery to the Descendants for a nominal fee, attempting to offload its responsibilities without providing the financial resources necessary for preservation. The descendants, organized as the nonprofit Descendants of Macedonia Church and Cemetery of Johns Creek, Inc. ("DMCC") (https://descendantsofmacedonia.org) and represented by their legal advocate Kyle P. Magee of Magee Law Group (https://mageelawgroup.com), responded with formal requests that the city fulfill its obligations and provide support for restoration. In response, City Attorney Angela Couch initially cited Georgia's Gratuities Clause, calling DMCC's requests "unworkable," then later abandoned that argument and flatly stated the city "is not willing to pay any funds to anyone with respect to the cemetery." On September 8, 2025, seven community members, including descendants and a former City Council member, addressed the City Council during public comment, urging funding for preservation. Despite directly appealing to the Mayor and City Council, no response was provided during or after the meeting. Just 36 hours later, on September 10, 2025, the city abruptly terminated all negotiations. [Read the full legal correspondence and timeline of the city's refusal to act →] The exchange between Attorney Magee and city officials reveals a disturbing pattern of evasion, unfulfilled commitments, and what appears to be retaliation for public advocacy, leaving ancestors dishonored and descendants fighting for basic dignity.

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Hope rises through DMCC, a nonprofit formed by descendants to honor ancestors via reverse genealogy, advocacy, and restoration. They envision a memorial garden with a museum gazebo featuring engraved plaques and QR coded archives to share stories of African American heritage. Along with Johns Creek Historical Society (https://johnscreekhistory.org/MacedoniaCemetery.htm) and other volunteers, they have cleared debris and advocated for protection, but the city’s refusal to act stalls progress. 

 

These graves are our shared history. Join the fight against city neglect. On November 4, 2025, vote for leadership that will honor this sacred ground, not abandon it. Contact Johns Creek City Council today to demand funding for preservation. Donate to DMCC to restore what the city refuses to maintain. Scan the QR code below to give. Every dollar is tax deductible, and every gift honors a soul denied justice in life and death.