The Julian Black Pioneer History Committee has organized the placing of the headstones and the ceremony. Set for 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12, the event honoring three of Julian’s many black pioneers will take place in three locations, starting at the gravesites in the cemetery, then move to Pioneer Park for the plaque dedication, and the Julian Historical Society for a reception. The public is invited to this community event; for information phone 760/765-1857.

Until recently the precise locations of the graves of Julian's black pioneers in the cemetery was open to speculation. For six years David Lewis, historian for the Julian Cemetery Association, has been surveying and mapping the cemetery. In January 2005 Lewis was able to identify the grave markers of Albert Robinson, America Newton and Susan Tull. It has been the goal of Valorie Ashley, owner of the Villa de Valor bed and breakfast, and Chuck Ambers, owner of the Casa del Rey Moro African Museum, to locate the graves of the Black pioneers of Julian and insure that they take their rightful place in the annals of Julian’s history

Black American roots sink deep in Julian's history, starting before the discovery of gold in 1869 when Fred Coleman, a local ranch hand who lived in the shadow of Volcan Mountain, noticed a golden glint in the creek that flows westward from what became the Julian town site. Coleman discovered the gold that sparked the only major gold rush to take place in Southern California. Coleman was an entrepreneur, building a toll road along which people and supplies made their way to Coleman City and Julian. The creek where Coleman found his gold is now named Coleman Creek.

By the time the 1880 US census was conducted blacks were well established as part of the Julian community. The census listed 33 of the 55 blacks living in San Diego County as being residents of the Julian area. They operated businesses and owned land. The most famous of these businesses is still operating. The Julian Hotel, founded as the Hotel Robinson by Albert Robinson and his wife Margaret Tull-Robinson in 1897, is now a bed and breakfast owned by Steve and Gig Ballinger. A plaque in front of the hotel recognizes its listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

Another pioneer, America Newton, a laundress who washed clothing for the early miners, also was a landowner, and had title to 80 acres adjacent to the grade on Highway 79 that bears her name.

At the February celebration, headstones marking the graves of Albert Robinson, America Newton and Susan Tull, Robinson's mother-in-law, will be unveiled. However, at least one other member of the Robinson family is buried in the cemetery, Martha Boyd, daughter of Margaret Tull-Robinson. The location has not yet been authenticated.

The community has supported the effort to locate the graves and install the headstones and plaques, according to Lewis, who did most of the research. The following donations made this project possible: Julian Cemetery Association, America Newton; Steve and Gig Ballinger, Albert Robinson; Chuck Ambers of the Casa del Rey Moro African Museum in Old Town in San Diego, Susan Tull; and the Julian Historical Society, the bronze plaque being placed in Pioneer Park next to the Julian Pioneer Museum. The Julian Chamber of Commerce, Julian Merchants Association and a number of local individuals and businesses also contributed to the effort.