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.

Before You Do

  

 

 

 LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE
 A dog was so faithful that the woman could leave her baby with it and go out to attend other matters. She always returned to find the child soundly asleep with the dog faithfully watching over him. One day, something tragic happened.
 The woman as usual, left the baby in the "hands" of this faithful dog and went out shopping. When she returned, she discovered rather a nasty scene, there was a total mess. The baby's cot was dismantled, his nappies and clothes torn to shreds with blood stains all over the bedroom where she left the child and the dog. Shocked, the woman wailed as she began looking for the baby.
 All of a sudden, she saw the faithful dog emerging from under the bed. It was covered with blood and licking it's mouth as if it had just finished a delicious meal.
The woman got angry and assumed that the dog had devoured her baby. Without much thought she beat the dog with a wood to death. But as she continued searching for the"remains" of her child, she beheld another scene.
 Close to the bed was the baby who, although lying on the bare floor, was safe and under the bed where the body of a snake was torn to pieces in what had been a fierce battle between the snake and the dog which was now dead. Then reality dawned on the woman who now began to understand what took place in her absence. The dog fought to protect the baby from the ravenous snake.
 It was too late for her now to make amends because in her impatience and anger, she had killed the faithful dog. How often have we misjudged people and torn them to shreds with harsh words and deeds before we have had time to evaluate the situation?
 This is called SIN OF PRESUMPTION. Presuming things our way without taking the trouble to find out exactly what the situation really is. Little patience can drastically reduce major lifelong mistakes. Who Are You misjudging right now? Don't think what you think others are thinking. Take time to get the whole truth.

My View: The lady should be kicking herself repeatedly because in her haste, she takes out her dog who was protecting her child. I hope she feels like crap (by right she should) because there was no reason for her to fly off the handle. Her first thought was the dog devoured her baby, but after careful observation, she realized the dog was keeping her child safe. It's too late to make amends because once the damage is done, there's no coming back. How many of us have done this? Presumed the situation our way instead of taking a step back? The issue with presumption is it never ends well because the person's judgment is clouded. They're thinking one way when 9 times out of the 10, the situation is different. Reacting in anger, harsh things are said and done and once you realize it wasn't all that to begin with, it's too late. That person will never look at you the same & rightfully so. You may feel remorse, but it's too late. The damage has been done. So Before You Do, get all the facts and make your move. There's nothing worse than looking crazy by jumping the gun only to realize you don't have a reason to fire off.