Episode Summaries
The docuseries will explore four themes of the 11 lost, erased and destroyed Black cemeteries found throughout the Tampa Bay area.
How it started
In 2018, Ray Reed, the retired head of Hillsborough County’s indigent healthcare system, reached out to the Tampa Bay Times with an intriguing claim – he was regularly visited by a nearby indigent cemetery’s ghosts who pestered him to bring them dignity in death. The Times wrote about it. Reed then made a more explosive claim – he believed Black cemeteries throughout the area had been built over without the bodies being removed. That inspired a Times investigation that discovered Zion Cemetery and its nearly 1,000 graves under federal housing projects. And that article set off a flurry of investigations that discovered the next 10 cemeteries.
How it happened
Following the Civil War, freed enslaved men and women founded their own communities outside the Tampa Bay area’s city’s limits. Each community had a school, church and cemetery. But, as the cities’ populations grew, the boundaries expanded and used questionable but legal devices to take the land from the Black communities. And, as the cemeteries stood in the way of development, it was deemed cheaper to remove the headstones and build over the graves rather than moving the bodies. The Black communities were likely then silenced through intimidation in an era when the KKK still marched in the area and Black men were lynched.
The people of the cemeteries
When the cemeteries were erased, so were the stories of their founders and those buried in each. Those include one freed enslaved man who rose to become a state senator who helped found Florida’s modern education system and another who created the largest Black fraternal organization in the nation at the time, plus a woman who birthed her enslavers children who today have descendants who are invited to family reunions by the enslaver’s white descendants. As each cemetery was discovered, those stories were rediscovered.
What next
Most of those who own the cemeteries did not know they were purchasing land with erased graves of pioneering Black residents. Now, the cities, counties and the state must wrestle with how to make these property owners financially whole – some have lost millions of dollars in - while also being respectful of the deceased.
Why Four 45-Minute Episodes?
Choosing a four-episode format allows for a comprehensive exploration of complex themes while maintaining viewer engagement. Each episode is designed to focus on a distinct aspect of the narrative, encouraging a deep dive into the rich histories, systemic injustices, and human stories that have often been overlooked. This structure not only elongates the conversation around these important issues but provides ample time for intimate storytelling, historical context, and thoughtful reflection on how these erased memories continue to shape contemporary society. Through this format, UnRested highlights the importance of remembrance and the urgent need for acknowledgment, ensuring that these stories resonate with audiences long after the credits roll.