African-American graves believed found under a Florida school parking lot

The discovery makes the third time archaeologists have found such graves in the Tampa Bay area

Nearly four dozen graves believed to be from an African-American cemetery were discovered under a paved parking lot in Clearwater, Florida.

Dawn Onley

Mar 2, 2020

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Nearly four dozen graves believed to be from an African-American cemetery were discovered under a paved parking lot in Clearwater, Florida.

Ground radar from Cardno, a private archaeology firm, discovered 44 “grave-like anomalies” under the lot on Friday that were just 2.45 to 5.62 feet below the surface, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

The unused lot, located on the corner of Holt Avenue and Engman Street, is currently owned by the Pinellas County School District. The school district and Clearwater hired the firm to conduct an investigation.

The name of the former cemetery is unknown, but city and school leaders have been calling it “North Greenwood Cemetery.”

The discovery represents the third time archaeologists have found Black graves in the Tampa Bay area since August.

“The report highlighted the need for continued investigation,” Clearwater City Manager Bill Horne said during a news conference with Zebbie Atkinson IV, president of the NAACP Clearwater/Upper Pinellas branch and Clint Herbic, associate superintendent for Pinellas schools, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

“It’s an unfortunate situation that America has the history it has and has done very little if anything to make amends for the atrocities of the past,” Atkinson added. “We need to work together to find the answer so all hearts are satisfied in the end.”

Archeologists will continue digging until they can verify the initial findings. This work is expected to be complete by the end of March.

Horne said once that’s done, city officials would reach out to the community to gauge how they should proceed.

“Now that we’re here we’re here, and it’s how do we best move forward in a manner that serves all parties involved and the community?” Horne said to the Tampa Bay Times.

Plans for the lot were for the city, school district and the Homeless Empowerment Program to partner on a project where the Homeless Empowerment Program would build up to 39 affordable housing units on the property. The school district was planning to lease the property to the program and the city was throwing in a nearby 1.3 acre lot.

The project may still be a go.

“This doesn’t mean that that project has to come to an end,” Herbic told the Tampa Bay Times. “Maybe we just kind of take a look at our property … and tweak those plans a little bit.”