TAMPA, Fla. (WFTS) — It's connecting the past to the present. A new fixture on King High School's campus. The vision of architect Jerel McCants.
"Monuments are a bridge between generations, where people can get a glimpse or understand what the history was. And it takes on a new purpose for each generation," he said.
Now that monument will forever link the students at King High to a forgotten piece of history.
"We buried underserved people here. These individuals had families and friends. They were part of a community," said School Board Vice-Chair Shake Washington.
Before there was King High School, there was Ridgewood Cemetery.
Through historical city and county records, documents show that in 1933, 90 years ago, the City of Tampa bought the 40-acres of land.
Part of the land became a pauper’s cemetery to bury African Americans and other indigent residents until 1954. Historical records vary, but they show between 250 and 268 burials at Ridgewood Cemetery.
After several years and transactions, the school district eventually bought the property, and King High School was built, opening on the north end of the property.
"Can you imagine just laying your loved one to rest, and then you can't say anything when a building is being put on top of them?" said Hillsborough County NAACP President Yvette Lewis.
Lewis said the NAACP office fielded dozens of calls from concerned family members and friends of the people buried in the very grave.
In 2019, a man informed the school district about the potential cemetery.
"Immediately, the school district took immediate action, roped off this location, and began to investigate," said Superintendent Addison G. Davis.
Geophysical technicians scanned the area, discovering 145 burials still intact.
The next step was figuring out how to honor the souls erased.
After years of planning, the monument was unveiled. The monument is symbolic of a dove and the soul’s release from its earth-bound duty.
According to a press release, the angles of the memorial are all intentional along with the dimensions used, which are divisible by the number “7,” representing completeness. The pedestal is 7 feet high and sloped to support two, 7' by 21’ wings. The wings are pitched at 42 degrees, which is the optimum angle to see a rainbow.
From the wings, water flows into a retention pond, a symbol of the circle of life. The reflection pond emphasizes the importance of the circle of life, as water is pumped up the pedestal and empties into the pond giving action and movement, constantly regenerating.
"It came about by listening to some of the stories I've heard about the kids here, recalling there being a cemetery and about the connection that was somewhat lost. So I want to restore some of that connection," McCants said.
The memorial monument is located within the burial grounds and is positioned in an area not to disturb any burials underneath.
The site has been designated as an official historical site by the State of Florida’s Division of Historical Resources and Bureau of Historic Preservation.
But Lewis sees this as a small piece of restoring dignity and justice.
"The time is now for black folks voice to be heard in this city. It is time for we to look at reparations, compensations and appropriations," she said. "They act like we didn’t even matter, like we didn’t even contribute the blood, the sweat, and the tears to help build this city."
