$500K allocated for restoration of Black cemetery in Florida

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April 30, 2022

By TheGrio Staff

The state’s “Abandoned African American Cemeteries” task force has uncovered several forgotten Black burial grounds statewide since 2021.

Project Restoration – “Oak Tree Union Colored Cemetery of Taylorsville”. An abandoned African American cemetery in Groveland Florida with over 50 gravesites and at least 5 WWI Veterans. (Picture from @KathrynHKnight on Twitter)

The city of Groveland, Florida, roughly 30 miles west of Orlando, has received nearly $500,000 in state-allocated funds to help restore one of several abandoned African American cemeteries that local leaders have discovered across the state over the past year, Spectrum News 13 reported.

Per the outlet, the “Abandoned African American Cemeteries” task force was created in Florida in 2021 following a wave of community backlash regarding the city’s decision to build over an abandoned Black cemetery.

Reports say the state has earmarked $30 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds for the task force, a portion of which will be used to support the uncovering and restoration of the Oak Tree Union Colored Cemetery in Groveland.

Read the full story here.

Learn about another forgotten part of African American history here.

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