Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Community leaders press Tampa City Council for $8 million to preserve Zion Cemetery
Summary
Residents, descendants and local advocates urged the council to fund acquisition and memorialization of Zion Cemetery in Tampa Heights, saying about 850 graves — mostly African American — lie on land at risk from development and past improper transfers. City staff said an update will be provided to council after a motion to request one.
Community members and descendants urged the Tampa City Council on Aug. 7 to commit $8 million to acquire and memorialize the Zion Cemetery site in Tampa Heights, saying the land contains roughly 850 graves and remains at risk from past transfers and nearby development. Speakers called the request a necessary act of historical repair and reconciliation.
Supporters said the cemetery, long linked to the Robles Park neighborhood, contains remains of African Americans interred when burials were segregated. Fred Hearns, president of the Zion Cemetery Preservation and Maintenance Society, told the council the group has pushed the issue for six years and asked the city to act to assemble the needed property and create the memorial.
"It's time for us to do the right thing," Hearns said, describing the property history and the society's work to identify graves and secure a memorial marker on Florida Avenue. Other…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
