Delta Burial Corp., one of the oldest Black-owned funeral homes in the Mississippi Delta, is celebrating its 100th year in business.
Manuel Killibrew has held multiple roles in the company. Killibrew once assisted with policies and collections and eventually became president of the corporation. Speaking with Mississippi Today, he stressed the funeral home’s commitment to servicing everyone, even those with little to no funds.
“We don’t turn anybody down … Some bring money every month. Some don’t. But I know we are blessed,” Killibrew told Mississippi Today.
Delta Burial serves families in Quitman, Tunica, Coahoma, and Tallahatchie counties and operates a National Mortuary program for clients nationwide.
Founded in 1925 by Silas Kelly and local Black farmers and entrepreneurs, the company has weathered many storms. Over its 100-years of operation, Delta Burial Corp. has faced segregation, economic downfalls, and prejudice. However, the Clarksdale, Mississippi, business continues to provide the community members affordable funeral services with dignity and respect.
The company has deep ties to civil rights activism. Funeral-home leaders provided shelter and support to organizers. In 1962, the then-president of Delta Burial, John Melchor, spent six months in jail after organizing a boycott.
The funeral home’s origins trace back to a lynching in 1925. Unable to find a funeral director willing to handle the body, Kelly led efforts to give the victim a proper burial. The gesture set the tone for the business’s long-standing mission. Unable to secure traditional bank loans, the founders pooled resources to purchase the funeral home collectively. Today, the firm remains under Black ownership.
Despite economic challenges, Delta Burial remains a cornerstone of the community.
“It’s the oldest business in the community. Black or white. It’s a pillar,” said longtime client Ulysses Hentz.
As Delta Burial celebrates its centennial, it stands as a living testament to Black entrepreneurship, community solidarity, and resilience in the face of adversity.
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