I was going to save this grave until the Forth of July, but I decided to use it today because it's been on my mind.
I know it doesn't look like much. It doesn't contain interesting iconography and it is extremely plain. But I think that's what haunts me the most.
It marks the grave of Parks King Harris, who died in 1945. I'm guessing he was in the US Navy because of the nautical anchor in the center of the stone, but it doesn't tell you much more, after all, a serviceman's grave usually includes his rank or notes his military achievements. I've spent several hours trying to learn more about Harris. He was only 33, that we know and he had nine half-siblings, but no regular siblings.
His mother had an Hispanic-sounding name, but I couldn't find much more about her. I don't know what his father did for a living and I don't know why they ended up in Charlotte, but I did learn that the father had 11 siblings. So a man who was one of 12, fathered at least 10 children. Wow.
But if that's all I know about Parks King Harris, why am i celebrating his grave/his life? Because of what you can't see in this photograph. Below his name it reads:
HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR FREEDOM'S CAUSE
He died for you and me and all of us. I'm going to visit him on the 4th and leave some flowers. I'm guessing it's been a long time since anyone has been there to visit him.