#WomenOfWeston Series
When Carla Ann Graf Sutton first walked through Weston’s Laurel Hill Cemetery in 2019, she could not have imagined the journey ahead—one that would lead to broad recognition and a permanent tribute to more than 400 African Americans who had been buried without names, markers, or formal acknowledgment.
Earlier this month, Sutton received the Historic Preservation Medal from the Kansas Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR)—the organization’s highest award for individuals who make outstanding contributions to historic preservation. Only 26 people received the honor nationwide in 2024. Sutton, a member of the Shawnee Mission Chapter, earned hers for leading a project that reshaped Weston’s understanding of its own history.
Her journey began not in the cemetery, but in the Weston Historical Museum, where she discovered references to a neglected “colored section” of Laurel Hill Cemetery. The hillside held the remains of enslaved and freed Black residents, many of whom died before or shortly after the Civil War. Most had been buried without headstones or formal recognition.
“She already saw it as an injustice,” said Paul Norman, president of the Laurel Hill Cemetery Board. “She just dove in and never let up.”
With support from her husband, Rev. Bill Sutton, and others in the community, Sutton began years of painstaking research. She compiled names, combed records, coordinated with local historians and families, and collaborated with Byrd Memorials to design a monument that would finally give the unnamed their due.
On January 20, 2020—Martin Luther King Jr. Day—the African American Memorial was dedicated. A polished black granite stone now lists the names of more than 400 Black individuals buried in the cemetery, honoring their lives and preserving their memory for generations to come.
Angela Hagenbach, a professional musician and descendant of one of those buried on the hill, delivered the keynote at the ceremony. “This magnificent monument goes a long way toward righting the balance of Weston’s historical Black population,” she said.
Sutton has since joined the Laurel Hill Cemetery Board and continues to support ongoing preservation work. Her efforts have sparked renewed community interest in Weston’s African American history. Local students now visit the cemetery as part of history education programs, and informational signage tells the story of the once-forgotten hill.
“We’re now seeing more energy and interest in this history than ever before,” Norman said. “That section of the cemetery was maintained, but forgotten. It was overgrown, neglected, and misunderstood. Carla brought those stories to light.”
When asked what part of the project meant the most to her, Sutton said,
“Those who were buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery with no marker now have a marker and are no longer forgotten.”
Looking ahead, the cemetery board plans to offer volunteer training for headstone cleaning and restoration in partnership with the KC Cemetery Man, a specialist in stone preservation. “There’s still work to do,” Norman said. “And Carla lit the path.”