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Local architect to present Ridgewood Cemetery memorial plans to Hillsborough school officials

More than 100 graves were discovered on the property of King High School after being forgotten for decades.
Credit: 10 Tampa Bay

TAMPA, Fla — More than 100 forgotten Black graves were discovered on the property of King High School in 2019. Now, we are one step closer to finally honoring those buried at Ridgewood Cemetery. 

A local architect will present memorial design plans to the Historical Response Committee today.

Jerel McCants of Jerel McCants Architecture Inc. will share his renderings for a walkable memorial and the inspiration behind his vision.

After a citizen alerted Hillsborough County school about a possible African American cemetery on the King High School property in 2019, the district got to work to uncover the truth.

RELATED: King High School: The historical timeline of a possibly erased cemetery

District leaders hired geophysical technicians to map and scan the area, resulting in the discovery of about 145 coffins, buried three to five feet deep.

"Since the first day, we learned about the possible burial ground, discovering the truth has been a priority of the district. Mr. McCants’ vision will allow the district to show the highest level of respect for the individuals who are buried in the cemetery and their descendants,” School Board Member Henry “Shake” Washington said.

Credit: Hillsborough County Public Schools

10 Tampa Bay's Emerald Morrow has followed the discovery of multiple destroyed and forgotten Black cemeteries in the Tampa Bay area in her series 'Erased.'

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