This grave marker which is at Hackensack Cemetery, located at
289 Hackensack Avenue Hackensack, New Jersey reveals that John F. Allaway served in the
U.S. Army during World War II and died at the age of only a few days shy of 49 years old. John F. Allaway was not on the Original Wall Unit List, but I have listed John F. Allaway with the Original Wall Unit List for these reasons:
First, being African American, he most likely would not have finished high school prior to
World War II, but still have attended Hackensack Schools.
Second, the grave marker states that John F. Allaway served for
New Jersey during his time in service, couple that with being buried in Hackensack. He either lived in Hackensack or the surrounding area which was all considered Hackensack prior to 1930, which is well after his date of birth.The grave marker confirms his connection to Hackensack by being buried within its borders since passing and forevermore.
What is even more interesting about John F. Allaway's service is that he would have been well past draft age in December of 1941 being 41 years old. He was either in the military already or enlisted and worked in some area of the medical field.
John F. Allaway is buried in the African American section of Hackensack Cemetery. In the 1880’s a law was passed because of an incident concerning Hackensack cemetery,
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making it a crime to refuse burial of African Americans in cemeteries with a fine of up to $500.00. The cemetery was officially founded in the 1890’s and the segregation within its grounds went on for many years to follow with attitudes probably changing after
World War II. Although grave plots having been bought before the 1950’s before one dies and many African Americans more comfortable resting their loved ones in a more traditional area among friends and family not much has changed. Italians in Hackensack are much more highly represented in St. Joseph’s cemetery for similar reasons they really were not welcome in the more Dutch and Anglo-Saxon cemetery of Hackensack at the turn of the 1900th to the 20th century so they created their own cemetery through St. Joseph’s church.
Written by:
Bob Meli
August 11, 2018
