The Black Archives History & Research Foundation of South Florida, Inc.

Today, May 20th, we honor Florida’s Emancipation Day—the moment in 1865 when the promise of freedom was finally articulated in our state. On the steps of the Knott House in Tallahassee, the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation signaled the end of chattel slavery in Florida and the beginning of a new era of Black agency.

At The Black Archives, we recognize that this liberation was the essential catalyst for the civic triumphs that followed. Just thirty-one years later, the seeds of that freedom bore historic fruit in South Florida. In 1896, when the City of Miami sought incorporation, it was Black men who provided the decisive voice.

Of the 368 men who gathered to vote Miami into existence, 162 were Black men. These pioneers—our “Incorporators”—did not just witness the birth of a city; they authored it. Their names are etched into the foundations of the community we now know as Overtown, proving that the journey from the steps of Tallahassee in 1865 led directly to the ballot boxes of Miami in 1896.

We preserve these records not just to remember the past, but to empower our present. Today, we celebrate the endurance of our ancestors and the unyielding spirit that transformed the gift of freedom into the power of progress.

🚨 Paid Internship Opportunity 🚨

The Black Archives History & Research Foundation of South Florida is seeking motivated college students interested in gaining hands-on experience in archival methods, digitization, preservation, and cultural heritage work.

This paid internship provides students with the opportunity to work alongside archival staff on meaningful projects focused on preserving and increasing access to Black history in South Florida. Interns will gain real-world experience that is beneficial for students pursuing careers in:

• Archival Studies
• Library & Information Science
• History
• Museum Studies
• Education
• Public History
• Digital Humanities
• And related fields

If you are passionate about history, preservation, research, and community impact, we encourage you to apply.

📍 The Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater
🔗 Apply here: https://lnkd.in/evaWQd-F

🚨 NOW HIRING INTERNS! 🚨

The Black Archives History & Research Foundation of South Florida is seeking motivated college students interested in gaining hands-on experience in archival methods, digitization, preservation, and cultural heritage work.

This paid internship provides students with the opportunity to work alongside archival staff on meaningful projects focused on preserving and increasing access to Black history in South Florida. Interns will gain real-world experience that is beneficial for students pursuing careers in:

• Archival Studies
• Library & Information Science
• History
• Museum Studies
• Education
• Public History
• Digital Humanities
• And related fields

If you are passionate about history, preservation, research, and community impact, we encourage you to apply.

📍 The Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater
🔗 Apply here: www.bahlt.org/archival-internships

Today in historic Coconut Grove, we cut the ribbon on the Vereneka Sturrup Silva Aquatic Center at Virrick Park, honoring a woman who quietly reshaped Miami.

Born and raised in Coconut Grove, Mrs. Verneka Sturrup Silva was an educator, social worker, recreation leader, writer, faith leader, desegregation advocate, and tireless champion for our community. From Dade County Public Schools and the Murrell Branch YMCA, to Coconut Grove Cares, NABSE, Girl’s Clubs, the Sickle Cell Foundation, Sigma Gamma Rho, and Christ Episcopal Church, she poured herself into creating opportunities for children, families, and educators—often long before there was recognition for that kind of work.

She broke barriers as one of the first female Lay Ministers in the Diocese of Southeast Florida and the first Black female Administrative Assistant Principal in a predominantly white school, all while remaining, in her community’s words, a “quiet storm”—moving through challenges to solve problems, protect rights, and make this place better for all of us.

May every child who swims here feel the ripple of her legacy. 🌊🖤

Thank you to City of Miami Mayor and D2 Commissioner for spearheading this event and honoring a legendary woman. 🫶🏾

🫶🏾❤️🫶🏾🖤🫶🏾🤍🫶🏾❤️🫶🏾🖤🫶🏾🤍

Dr. Dorothy Jenkins Fields has devoted her life to preserving the heritage of the African-American community and raising awareness of African-American history to a national level. A Miami native, she is responsible for the establishment of Miami’s Black Archives, the designation and restoration of the landmark Lyric Theater and other historic sites, the creation of the Black Heritage Trail, and the designation of the Historic Overtown Folklife Village as a National Trust “Main Street” community.

Fields’ maternal family moved to Overtown from the Bahamas in 1903 and immediately became an integral part of the fabric of South Florida’s history themselves. Fields’ grandfather, in fact, was one of the gardeners who planted the original gardens at the Deering Estate, Villa Vizcaya, in 1914. The Fields lineage came full circle in 1999 when she was appointed to the Vizcaya Trust by Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas.

A teacher and educator for Miami-Dade County Public Schools for more than 30 years, Fields began her career in 1964 after graduating from Spelman College. Then, in 1974, in preparation for the nation’s bicentennial, she began a search for curriculum materials on the black experience in South Florida. When she was unable to find any information about South Florida’s black history in any school or public library, she embarked on a journey that would become her lifelong professional mission.

The first step in her journey was to establish The Black Archives, a nonprofit manuscript and photographic repository for the legacies of Miami’s black community. She was assisted in her effort by University of Miami history professor Gregory Bush, who introduced her to the field of public history. Later she earned her certification in archives administration at Emory University, a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction at the University of Northern Colorado, and a Ph.D. in 20th-century African-American history, historic preservation, and public history from The Union Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Mary Elizabeth Hotel was built in 1921 by Dr. William B. Sawyer. The hotel was operated by his wife, Alberta Sawyer, a businesswoman at a time when such a vocation for women was unusual. The Mary Elizabeth was the tallest building in Colored Town at the time with ninety rooms. There were two lounges: the Flamingo Room and the Zebra Lounge.

The Mary Elizabeth served as a favorite retreat for many dignitaries. W.E.B. DuBois, who was a mentor to Dr. Sawyer, frequented the hotel on his way to and from conferences in the West Indies. Mary McLeod Bethune’s son Bart managed the hotel-based drug store for many years, so it was not unusual to see Mrs. Bethune coming or going. Other dignitaries who stayed at the hotel included: A. Phillip Randolph, Thurgood Marshall, and Adam Clayton Powell. The hotel was an integral hub of Colored Town’s festive night life.

Many renowned African Americans, such as Marian Anderson and Bessie Smith, lodged in Colored Town because they were denied the right to stay in the hostelries where they were performing because of racial segregation.

These entertainers often held all night jam sessions in the hotels in Colored Town for their African American audiences.

The Black Archives mourns the passing of Mrs. Thelma Vernell Anderson Gibson, a towering civil rights pioneer, nurse, and community champion whose life’s work transformed Miami and inspired generations.

From her years breaking barriers in public health to her tireless advocacy for Coconut Grove and Black Miami, Mrs. Gibson exemplified service, courage, and uncompromising love for her community. Her legacy lives on in the countless lives she touched, the institutions she strengthened, and the history she helped to shape.

We extend our deepest condolences to the Gibson family, friends, and all who were moved by her leadership and example. May we honor her memory by continuing the work to which she dedicated her life.