Florida’s Capital City Approves Plan to Sell Golf Course Built on Slaves’ Graves, Despite Outcry

December 17, 2025

The Tallahassee City Commission voted 3-2 to sell a 178-acre municipal golf course to the Capital City Country Club for $1. 255 million, despite significant community opposition regarding the historical importance of the site. The golf course was constructed over burial grounds containing at least 23 unmarked graves of enslaved people from a former cotton plantation, which archaeologists identified in 2019.

Who is affected

Descendants of enslaved people buried at the site
Local residents and activists opposing the sale
Students and community members at Florida A&M University (FAMU), a historically Black university
Justin Jordan, a FAMU student who spoke against the sale
Members of the Capital City Country Club
Tallahassee City Commission members (voted 3-2)
Commissioner Jeremy Matlow and Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox (specifically named)
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier (listed as club vice president in 2023)
Golfers who use the course

What action is being taken

The city has installed a historic marker near the burial grounds
The city has cleared paths near the burial grounds
Golfers continue playing games on the course
The city is proceeding with the sale to the country club

Why it matters

This sale represents ongoing tensions around historical racial injustice and how communities preserve and honor the memory of enslaved people. The site contains irreplaceable archaeological and historical evidence of enslaved people whose names and stories have been largely lost to history, making it significant for descendants who lack the ability to visit their ancestors' graves. The transaction involves selling land with immense historical importance to a club with a segregationist past for what critics consider far below market value, raising questions about whether economic interests are being prioritized over historical preservation and racial justice. The deal also highlights broader national concerns about thousands of unmarked burial sites of enslaved people at risk of being lost to development and indifference.

What's next

The country club must maintain the property as an 18-hole golf course and not develop it
The city will construct a commemorative site for the burial grounds using approximately $98,000 from the sale proceeds
Public access to the memorial will be guaranteed (with the condition that visitors don't interfere with golf games)
The country club will host FAMU's golf team for practices and collegiate competitions

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint