TAMPA, Fla. — MacDill Air Force Base officials confirmed the location of an African American cemetery, Port Tampa Cemetery, on its property.
In 2019, The Tampa Bay History Center notified MacDill officials of a possible African American cemetery located at the base.
In 2020, MacDill officials determined through lots of evidence that a cemetery was most likely located near MacDill’s Tanker Way gate. In Feb. 2021, the base hosted a memorial serviceand dedicated a memorial on-site to those buried there.
Officials said in 2022 and 20233, MacDill conducted a non-intrusive archaeological survey. The survey identified multiple anomalies, including 58 probable graves and 63 possible graves located in an area that had previously been identified as the possible location for the African American cemetery.
"We also then contracted out in order to actually search, so we had ground penetrating radar out here searching the area we had cadaver dogs, so it was a very thorough search we were doing," said Lt. Laura Anderson with the U.S. Air Force.
"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," said Lt. Anderson.
Officials said research and surveys will continue through 2024. The area is located in MacDill's "clear zone," which must stay free of vertical structures for aircraft safety.
"We secured additional funding so we’re going to expand our search area to the area north of where we were just searching where we identified where the main area of Port Tampa’s Cemetery is and that’s essentially so we can make sure that we’re not forgetting anybody," said Lt. Anderson.
Yvette Lewis, President of the NAACP Hillsborough County branch, said the forgotten cemetery should be memorialized.
"No one is saying the current administration or the current people living had a hand in it, but they do have a hand in correcting the wrong. They do have a hand in having the conversation and talking about it and telling the story and making sure the story is told correct and properly. They do have a hand in memorializing it," said Yvette Lewis.
"I have to say everyone at MacDill Air Force Base, the colonel and down have went above and beyond resolving the concerns, the question mark, erasing the question marks over our heads and our thoughts that, is there a cemetery there ," said Lewis.
MacDill officials said they will continue to work with the community to determine how to best document the history of the site and manage it in a manner that pays respect to the families and their loved ones buried there.
The search for additional graves will continue through 2024. Officials expect to release additional results the following year.
