Welcome to

Money to pay for the reinternment of remains found in graves at the former Dozier School for Boys was signed into law by Governor Rick Scott today. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, each family could receive up to 75 hundred dollars.

USF Researchers have recovered 51 remains. 7 have been positively identified. They believe they know the identity of 14 others, which leaves 30 question marks.

“This one is a boy” said one researcher as remains were uncovered in December 2013.

The Legislation signed into law provides up to 75 hundred dollars to re-bury each of the bodies.

Dale Landry of the NAACP helped lead the effort for the money.

“The thing is the we make sure that we have the money to go on and beyond as it related to not just this year, but until the last set of remains are reinterred” says Landry.

More than 200 former inmates at the school, known as the White House Boys, named after the block house where many were beaten believe more graves exist on the property. Charles Fudge was at Dozier in 1961.

“That cemetery needs to be found” say Fudge, who’s there brothers were also sent to the reform school.

But USF Researchers say thy have followed every lead to no avail.

The Legislation also creates the Dozier Task Force. It job is to make a recommendation about a memorial and the disposition of the unclaimed bodies.

Dale Landry and others are calling for a memorial on the site, and creating a mausoleum for those who remain unidentified.
“Closure means we’ve closed the books and this is behind us. This can never be behind us. This should be something that is always there that reminds of of our inhumanity to children” says Landry.

USF has created these two composite drawings in hopes of reuniting more remains with their families.

USF has until July to turn over contact information for the remains they have identified. The state then has fifteen days to tell the families they are eligible for the 75 hundred in burial expenses. If new identities are matched, USF much notify the state at least five days before turning the remains over to the family.