By Laura Onyeneho, Word In Black
In Black communities, funerals have long been more than ceremonies. They are declarations of faith and communal strength.
The “homegoing” tradition rooted in the Black church has carried generations through mourning with music, prayer and praise. But today, grief is changing shape. Rising costs, shifting spiritual beliefs and digital innovation are pushing families to redefine how they honor loved ones.
Across the city, funeral homes, cultural centers and families are blending tradition with adaptation. What emerges is not an abandonment of heritage, but a reimagining of it.
Justin Mabrie, funeral director at Mabrie Memorial Mortuary, has witnessed the changes up close. His family opened the mortuary in 1997 and he has been working full-time in the business for the past seven years.
“African American funerals are very inclusive; they want the entire family involved in the life celebration,” Mabrie said. “Whether that means waiting until everyone can come in town, having a color theme or putting together a tribute video, families are personalizing services in ways that reflect what was truly important to that loved one.”
He says that “celebrations of life” often replace strictly traditional homegoings, especially when families want services outside the church.
“If the person didn’t necessarily go to church, we don’t need to have the service at a church,” he said. “It might be more like a reception with beverages, live music and a moment for scripture and memories, really reflective of how that person lived their life.”
Cremation, once rare in Black communities, is increasingly common. Economics plays a role, but Mabrie emphasized it’s not just about cost-cutting.
“Sometimes it’s practical, sometimes it’s financial, but cremation doesn’t mean you lose the beauty of a service,” he explained. “You can still have flowers, speakers, a video montage, even a champagne toast. The only difference is you’re not going to the cemetery afterwards.”
He added that cremation allows families more time to decide how to honor remains — whether keeping an urn at home, dividing ashes among relatives or traveling to scatter them in meaningful places.
African Traditions and Ancestral Continuity
That flexibility speaks to a long history of adaptation in Black mourning. In Dr. Suzanne E. Smith’s book, To Serve the Living: Funeral Directors and the African American Way of Death.
During the pre-Civil War era, enslaved Africans were often prohibited from holding funerals for their loved ones, for fear that gatherings might spark rebellion.
Denied the right to grieve openly, they created “hush harbors”, secret spaces where they fused African traditions with Christian practices, singing, praying and lifting the names of the dead in defiance of silence.
Those hidden rituals became the foundation of what we know today as the homegoing service, a ceremony rooted in African ancestry and the Black church. Even now, singing gospel hymns, wearing T-shirts honoring the deceased, gathering for the repast and offering final farewells at the casket trace back to that history of resilience.
Michael Jones, manager of Lockwood Funeral Home, sees today’s joy-filled services as continuing that legacy.
“It goes back to our African roots,” he said. “As a people, we’ve always celebrated life. Funerals bring family members together, whether from across town or across the country. Even with social media and livestreams, that gathering is still sacred.”
Nailah Nelson, director of Shrine Cultural & Events Center, sees this lineage reflected in today’s celebrations. “It’s not just a death from this life, but an ascension into the ancestral realm,” she said. “The spirit lives on. You can call out your loved one’s name and know they’re all around you.”
She says many services today incorporate rituals directly tied to African traditions, such as pouring libations, building altars or calling out ancestors’ names in unison. Families and guests often wear African attire or dress the deceased in traditional garments.
“It connects us to our lineage,” Nelson said. “It’s powerful.”
Tradition Meets Innovation
After emancipation, Black entrepreneurs established funeral homes as some of the first family-owned businesses in America. Because the funeral trade was segregated along racial lines, Black-owned funeral homes became cultural institutions, places where African Americans could mourn freely, guided by directors who understood their customs. Funeral directors often became community leaders, offering counsel, spiritual care and continuity at a time when little else was secure.
Mabrie recognizes that role today.
“Some families want to spend, others are cautious. Some prefer tradition, others want more personalized services,” he said. “Our job is to create opportunities so every family can celebrate their loved one’s life in a way that feels right.”
Technology has also left its mark. Livestreaming exploded during the pandemic, when gatherings were limited. What once seemed novel is now standard.
“That one link gives access to people who can’t be there,” Mabrie said. “The recordings become part of family history.”
Generational differences play a role, too.
“Older relatives still want the hardcopy funeral program,” Mabrie said. “But younger people are fine scanning a QR code to view it digitally. There’s more comfort with personalization, websites, engravings and creative touches. It’s about reflecting the person’s actual life.”
Jones has also tracked dramatic changes in the way services are planned.
“When I first started, cremation was about seven percent of services. Last year, it was 37 percent,” he said. “But cremation doesn’t have to mean less celebration. Families can still have viewings, memorials, or life celebrations with music, food and tributes; the only difference is what happens afterward.”
He notes that while cost drives some choices, many families now pre-plan services with cremation in mind, not as a compromise but as a way to leave clear instructions.
“It’s like giving your family a hug,” Jones said. “You take the pressure off them in the moment of grief.”
Generational shifts also shape how families remember their loved ones.
“Elders still want the large printed funeral program with photos. Younger people love getting a digital version straight to their phone,” he said. “It’s the same tribute, just offered in ways that speak to different generations.”
This post was originally published in Word In Black.
