An archaeological survey at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa confirmed 121 potential graves from a destroyed Black cemetery, base officials said Thursday. According to MacDill's deputy chief of public affairs Terry Montrose, crews identified 58 probable and 63 possible graves after searches near the Tanker Way gate. MacDill's announcement confirmed what some in the nearby Port Tampa community had known for many years. "They have gone above and beyond to resolve the question marks — 'Is there an African American cemetery there?'" Hillsborough NAACP President Yvette Lewis said. "It's a feeling of, 'someone's actually listening and someone actually cares.'" Long-time Port Tampa resident Norman Cannon said a neighbor showed him the site decades ago as he was seeking information about the cemetery. According to Cannon, there were no grave markers or anything to signify burials. MacDill Air Force Base began a formal investigation and search for the graves in 2019 after the Tampa Bay History Center alerted federal officials to the possibility of graves at the site. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/special-reports/erased/macdill-air-force-base-black-cemetery-discovery/67-a2d6ae1c-298f-408a-9507-7e66e7043f36 ►Subscribe: https://on.wtsp.com/youtube ►Website: https://www.wtsp.com/ ►Facebook: https://facebook.com/10TampaBay ►Twitter: https://twitter.com/10TampaBay