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Residents urge city to fund and take lead on historic Black cemetery preservation
Summary
Public commenters at the council workshop urged Tampa to take a more active role in identifying, testing and preserving historic burial sites in Robles Park, College Hill and other neighborhoods and to help with ground‑penetrating radar and land purchases.
Tampa — Multiple residents used the City Council’s public comment period to press the city to take stronger action to identify and protect historic Black cemeteries and to help property owners pay for investigations, markers and land purchases.
Connie Burton told the council she had lived in Robles Park “20 years” and said the city should go "beyond just putting up markers" where gravesites have been found; Burton linked the issue to broader civil‑rights history and urged the council to prioritize cemetery preservation. Burton called out the length of time it has taken in other cases and questioned why property owners are required to pay for ground‑penetrating radar (GPR) investigations.
Eileen Henderson, who said she had been involved in previous cemetery fights including Woodlawn and Marti Colon, urged the council to purchase land when appropriate and to treat the sites as “walking museums” that have tourism and cultural value. "We need the city to help with that," Henderson said. She pressed staff to pay for GPR and other investigative steps rather than leaving the cost on private property owners.
Staff did not take a council vote on the matter during the workshop. Councilmembers thanked the speakers and said they would consider how to handle costs and legal responsibilities in follow‑up work.
Why it matters: Historic burial sites intersect with public history, land use, legal responsibilities and community equity. Residents say leaving the burden of investigation and protection to private property owners can prevent preservation and hinder public access to historic sites.
Next steps: Council and staff signaled a willingness to discuss options, including city‑funded GPR and targeted land purchases, but provided no schedule or funding commitment during the workshop.
