File:Crain grave- section L - Prospect Hill Cemetery - 2014.jpg

English: Crain grave in section L of Prospect Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C., in the United States in 2014.

Prospect Hill Cemetery was added to the Register of Historic Places of the District of Columbia (a listing of historic sites maintained by the city) in 2005.

The flat, granite headstone is representative of "perpetual care" -- a modern funerary term which means a grave marker flush with earth so that grass mowers and other maintenance equipment may pass easily over the marker. "Perpetual care" markers are often less expensive than "above-ground" markers, because they do not require special equipment (like string trimmers) or labor to maintain.

This grave has been decorated with silk flowers, a flag, and a toy. Decoration of graves was a common practice among African Americans, who often lacked the means to purchase ornate grave markers. Instead, many chose to purchase or make inexpensive decorative items and place them on graves as a means of honor and mourning. The practice has since expanded to a wide range of people of all races and socio-economic status.

The decoration of the graves of American military personnel with small American flags, particularly on Memorial Day (the last Monday in May), is a practice which has been common for more than a century.