Robert Solich
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Vicki Daniel, of the Department of History, comments on mass burials and mortality during the pandemic

Mass graves for coronavirus victims shouldn’t come as a shock – it’s how the poor have been buried for centuries

The Conversation: Vicki Daniel, an instructor and teaching fellow in the Department of History, wrote about recent news and footage of mass burials on Hart Island in New York City related to the COVID-19 pandemic: “As a historian of death in America, I have seen how socioeconomic standing has dramatically shaped the final disposition of the dead throughout time, especially after the rise of the funeral industry following the Civil War.” Citing the angst surrounding the issue, Daniel wrote, “[Mass graves] serve not only as reminders of our own mortality, but also the fragility of our death rituals in times of crisis. We all hope that our deaths will be good deaths, surrounded by loved ones, but COVID-19 kills people in isolation and limits our rituals. Yet, this is already a reality for many Americans.” Republished by: Yahoo, The National Interest.