121 unmarked graves in a former Black cemetery found at US Air Force base in Florida, officials say

TAMPA, Fla. — As many as 121 unmarked graves in a former black cemetery have been discovered at a US air base in Florida, military officials confirmed.

A non-intrusive archaeological survey conducted over the past two years at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa has identified 58 likely graves and 63 possible graves, base officials said Thursday, WFTS-TV reported. The Tampa Bay History Center alerted MacDill officials to the possible Black burial ground in 2019, and the base hosted a memorial service in 2021, dedicating an on-site memorial to those buried there.

“We obviously know that wrong has been done in the past, but we are working with our community members,” said base spokesperson Lt. Laura Anderson. “We want to right the wrong.”

Officials said they plan to expand the search area this year and will continue to work with the community to determine how to best document the site and pay respects to the people buried there.