A recent confirmation by military authorities reveals the presence of a total of 121 unmarked graves at a former Black cemetery located within a US Air Force base in Florida. The discovery, ascertained through a non-intrusive archaeological survey conducted over the last two years at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, unveiled 58 identified probable graves and 63 potential graves, according to reports from WFTS-TV on Thursday. The possible Black cemetery was initially brought to the attention of MacDill officials by the Tampa Bay History Center in 2019, leading to a memorial service held in 2021 and the installation of a dedicated memorial on-site to honor those interred.
Lt. Laura Anderson, a spokesperson for the base, acknowledged the historical wrongs associated with the site, emphasizing collaborative efforts with community members to rectify past injustices. She expressed the commitment to addressing the discovered graves, stating, "We know obviously there was wrong done in the past, but we’re working together with our community members. We want to make what was wrong right."
Future plans involve an expansion of the search area this year, accompanied by ongoing collaboration with the local community to determine optimal methods for documenting the site and paying respects to the individuals buried there. The proactive approach emphasizes acknowledging historical injustices, fostering community involvement, and ensuring a respectful and comprehensive response to the identified graves.
