Interview – Nick Black

This is the first of a three-part series entitled “Interview with a Gravedigger.” I sat down with New Orleans native Nick Black, the sexton of Greenwood and Cypress Grove Cemeteries. He is also the contracted gravedigger for the city's six municipal cemeteries and the owner of NOLA Cemetery Renewal LLC, a company that specializes in cemetery restoration and construction.

From his office in Cypress Grove Cemetery, Nick discusses, among other things, the often-disturbing tradition of New Orleans’ burials, including the process of digging a grave, what “going down a pick” means, how to probe for grave, how New Orleans’ water table effects the body’s decomposition, and the challenges with moving a decomposed body. Listener discretion is advised. This episode is intended for mature audiences.

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