Hurricane of 1928 African American Mass Burial Site, mass burial site and former pauper's cemetery in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA

The Hurricane of 1928 African American Mass Burial Site is a cemetery in West Palm Beach, Florida, where over 600 people are buried who died during a severe storm. The grounds are fenced and feature several pillars and a memorial marker, surrounded by trees and benches.

West Palm Beach set aside this pauper's cemetery in 1913. After the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane, 674 Black and unidentified victims were buried here in two layers while white victims received coffins and burial at Woodlawn Cemetery. The land passed through private owners, and 25th Street was paved over the northern graves in the 1950s. The city repurchased the parcel in December 2000, and the site was listed on the National Register on September 12, 2002.

The site is also called Pauper's Cemetery, recalling its origin as a burial ground for the poor. The Sankofa Society held a well-publicized blessing ceremony here in 1991, which first brought the mass graves to wide public attention. A historical marker was erected in 2003, on the 75th anniversary of the storm's landfall.

The grounds are quiet and easy to walk through, with benches for pausing and reflection. Visitors should remain respectful and read the informational plaques in place to understand the history of those buried here.

For many years, the graves remained unmarked and most remains were only discovered during road construction in the 1950s, revealing how long the site had been forgotten. Community members worked together to bring this history back to light and restore dignity to those buried here.