on july 9, 2009 cook county sheriff tom dart alleged that four workers at burr oak cemetery dug up more than 200 graves, dumped the bodies into unmarked mass graves, and resold the plots in a scheme that went back at least five years. burr oak cemetery has become well known as one of the few cemeteries that has historically focused on the needs of the african american community, it is the final resting place of many black celebrities, including chicago blues musicians, athletes, and other notables.