BRADENTON — On Tuesday, Manatee County Commissioners unanimously approved the allocation of $100,000 to help secure the Old Memphis Cemetery in Palmetto, the site of recent criminal vandalism.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating the incident, which officials now believe may have occurred as early as March.
Manatee County District 2 Commissioner Amanda Ballard, whose district is home to the Old Memphis Cemetery, added the item to Tuesday’s meeting agenda, seeking board support for a motion that would allow $100,000 from the Commissioners’ discretionary funds to be spent on fencing, lighting, and possibly security cameras to be installed at the property.
Ballard shared that after a resident contacted her about damage to the cemetery, she visited the site and, upon seeing the damage herself, reported the crime to local law enforcement.
Vandals ultimately left 17 gravesites with damage ranging from broken and toppled headstones, cracked concrete covers, and red spray-paint graffiti. Some of the gravesites were found with the words “Trump” and “Ron DeSantis” painted on them.
The sheriff's office said it found no indication that any remains were disturbed or removed from the gravesites.
The old historically Black cemetery has long been categorized as ‘abandoned,’ and in 1988, the Manatee County Commission adopted a local ordinance giving the county government authority to maintain and secure the site.
State statutes allow a local government to “clean, restore, or secure” abandoned gravesites and/or cemeteries within its jurisdiction, but without a requirement of taking ownership, thereby negating any ongoing obligation of the municipality or county to provide ongoing maintenance, access, or new burials.
Over the decades, the cemetery has only been minimally maintained as the county’s 1980s Historic Cemetery advisory board disbanded, explained Ballard. In recent years, inmates of the Manatee County Sheriff's Offender Work Program have been mowing the roughly 3-acre property.
While commissioners unanimously supported addressing the immediate needs of the old cemetery, some raised the need for a long-range plan for the site’s ongoing maintenance and security—something several citizens agreed with under public comments on the item, including Manatee County NAACP President Tracy Washington.
“I need to know what we’re going to do long-term with this,” said Washington. “How do we move forward from here? I know this isn’t the county’s responsibility, but it is a landmark, and it is historical. We have a lot of WWII Veterans in that cemetery, and they’re due more respect.”
Ahead of the board’s unanimous vote of support, Ballard shared, “May 23rd is the beginning. The fencing and the security represent a long-term commitment to keeping the cemetery safe.” She added that the county has heard from multiple nonprofits expressing interest in supporting the site’s ongoing maintenance.
On Saturday, May 23, Manatee County Government will partner with the City of Palmetto and the City of Bradenton to host a cleanup and beautification effort at Old Memphis Cemetery, beginning at 9 a.m. More information can be found on Manatee County Government’s website.
Multiple individuals and organizations were verbally recognized during Tuesday’s meeting for their commitment to support restoration and beautification efforts for the cemetery through donations or services, including Christopher Mullinex, owner of Gilcon Materials, and the Florida Vaultis company, who have volunteered to donate supplies and services to repair gravesite concrete. Funeral Home owner Rick Groover has offered services in repairing broken headstones and monuments.
Other entities and organizations that have come forward to offer support and service in response to the vandalization of the Old Memphis Cemetary include the Manatee County Clerk of Court’s Historical Resources Division, the Manatee County NAACP, the Anna Maria Oyster Bar, the Peach Cobbler Factory, the Parrish Civic Association, Tidewell Hospice, Empath Health, the Friends of the Palmetto Library, the Library Foundation, and the Manatee County League of Women Voters, to name just a few.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is urging anyone with information regarding the case to contact their office at (941) 747-3011. Individuals with information can also contact CrimeStoppers at (866) 634-TIPS or visit ManateeCrimeStoppers.com to remain anonymous and be eligible for a potential reward.
CrimeStoppers of Manatee County is offering a reward of up to $3,000 for information that leads to the arrest of those responsible. The Gold Star Club of Manatee County is also offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of those responsible. (CrimeStoppers must be notified before law enforcement to be eligible for the CrimeStoppers reward.)
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