The City of Tampa Black History Committee recognized and honored the ongoing research of the African American Burial Ground Project (AABGP).
An exhibit, designed by USF PhD student and Living Heritage Research Associate Kaleigh Hoyt, showcasing the work of the AABGP is currently on display at the Mascotte room in Old City Hall in downtown Tampa for Black History Month. (Photo courtesy of Shirley Foxx-Knowles)
The AABGP—which consists of USF faculty, staff, graduate students and community partners from interdisciplinary fields including anthropology, business, and the arts—identifies and preserves the stories of those associated with neglected and abandoned cemeteries in Tampa Bay.
Award notification materials noted “the City of Tampa Black History Committee believes AABGP’s efforts to protect sacred burial sites throughout the Tampa Bay region and uphold revered cultural traditions are worthy of recognition.”
Director of the USF Living Heritage Institute in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and principal investigator of the AABGP, Dr. Antoinette Jackson, accepted the award on behalf of the team during the City of Tampa’s 36th Annual Black History Celebration on Feb. 16 at the Tampa Convention Center.
“This [recognition] means that the African American Burial Ground Project is truly having an impact and our work is of importance to communities we serve as a university,” Jackson, who is also chair of the Department of Anthropology, said. “It is extremely rewarding to be recognized directly and in a public way by the community you serve and by people and communities most impacted by the research and outreach our team is doing.”
Jackson explained that the AABGP engages research, teaching and education while also supporting families and communities as they work to preserve historic Black cemeteries to “memorialize sacred sites that have been lost, ignored and desecrated.”
View the USF digital archive to learn more about the research work produced by AABGP.
“I am passionate about this work because it makes a difference. I can see that it means something to everyday people, families, and grassroots organizations. I feel the energy from those we help, and it motivates the entire team to continue to do the work, shine the light, and bring what resources and skills we have to the table to facilitate change,” Jackson said.