Black History Facts (Miami, FL)

It's Black History Month so I'm dedicating this blog commentary to some notable Black History facts about Miami, FL:

 

1. D.A. Dorsey was one of the first American black millionaires in the South. He once owned Fisher Island, which is an exclusive part of Miami filled with multi-millionaires and billionaires.

 

2. Overtown, Miami's oldest black neighborhood served as a place of rest and refuge for black entertainers who weren't allowed to lodge at prominent venues like Eden Roc and Fontainebleau where they performed. Further, many prominent blacks like Joe Louis, W.E.B. Du Bois and Zora Neale Hurston lodged and entertained in the neighborhood.

 

3. Miami Gardens (which used to be called Carol City before the name change in 2003) was the last city in northern Miami-Dade where blacks moved to escape real ghettos like Opa Locka, Liberty City (including Brownsville) and Overtown.

 

4. Liberty Square (commonly referred to as Pork & Beans) is the first public housing project for blacks in the Southern United States, and one of the first built in the nation. It was first built in 1934 and has expanded over the years. The boundaries are NW 67th to the North, NW 62nd St. to the South, 12th & 15th Avenues to the East & West.

 

5.  Arthur McDuffie (December 3,1946 – December 21, 1979) was an African American who died as a result of injuries suffered at the hands of five white Miami-Dade police officers after a traffic stop was conducted. He had led the officers on a high-speed chase on his motorcycle, and was driving with a suspended license. The officers were acquitted of charges in McDuffie's death.

One of the worst race riots in United States history broke out in the black neighborhoods of Overtown and Liberty City in Miami after the officers' acquittals. The federal government tried Veverka, one of the officers, on civil rights violations in 1980; he was acquitted. In 1981 Dade County paid McDuffie's family a settlement of $1.1 million after it filed a civil lawsuit against the officials.

 

6. Peace In The Hood is an annual festival held in Miami's Liberty City. It is named in honor of Uncle Al, a famous DJ who was murdered in the Miami streets. Every year, around Uncle Al's birthday, Liberty City residents celebrate his legacy and philosophy of non-violence.

 

7. The Hampton House was a popular Miami motel and social hub for blacks in the 50's & 60's. It was the only motel open for blacks during segregation, featuring luxurious accommodations with valet parking, 24-hour food service, a banquet hall and a jazz club where all colors of people congregated to hear the best performers of the day. And not only was the jazz great, the Hampton House was important historically. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali were frequent guests.