Following an independent review prompted by charges of racism and discrimination by employees, Woodlawn Cemetery says it will make significant changes to employment and training practices.

Still, cemetery employees remain skeptical about the depth of the investigation and say the cemetery’s response was inadequate.

The review findings have led to a “series of changes designed to upgrade the cemetery’s human resources structure and function and strengthen and reinforce its anti-discrimination program,” according to a statement released on Aug. 2. 

The cemetery would not release any details from the review and did not respond to follow-up questions. But the findings compelled the famous cemetery to implement racial sensitivity training and reconfigure its personnel, including the firing of at least one supervisor.

Howard Cannon, a spokesman for the cemetery who works for the public relations firm Rubenstein Associates, said the supervisor’s termination had no connection to the findings of the investigation.

But one black cemetery employee who spoke on the condition of anonymity, called Woodlawn’s response a “partial victory” because “the most racist of them all is out of here.”

For the cemetery to say the supervisor wasn’t fired because of the racism charges “is an insult to our intelligence and an insult to the community” the employee said. He added that if Woodlawn wanted to unify its employees it would “get rid of the management team who is still practicing discrimination at the cemetery.”    

An Hispanic employee, who initiated the allegations of discrimination, said he was skeptical about the depth and comprehensiveness of the investigation. “How can the investigation be complete?” he said. “I was never interviewed. None of my coworkers were ever interviewed.” 

The investigation began earlier this year following a letter sent by Ramon Jiminez — a lawyer and community organizer with the South Bronx Community Congress — to cemetery administrators alleging a culture of racism and discrimination towards minority employees. 

The employees said previous complaints to cemetery administrators and the Equal Opporunity Commission went ignored.

In late July, Jiminez’s group and Brooklyn Councilman Charles Barron protested the discrimination practices outside of the northeast gates of the cemetery. In response to the protest, the cemetery said it had already contracted out an independent review of the complaints and that the investigation was in its early stages.

On Aug. 2, the cemetery, which is the final resting place of numerous famous personalities and celebrities, released its statement saying the investigation was complete.
In the statement, John P. Toale, Jr., the cemetery’s president and chief executive officer, said the investigation “concluded that we can do better, and so we shall — immediately.”