Central Florida’s civil rights history: Learn about 7 key sites with our audio guided tour
Black residents of Central Florida, like those throughout the south, fought for their civil rights for generations after the Civil War ended, with each victory over racism, segregation and violence accompanied by countless tragedies, including the lynching of July Perry and burning of Ocoee’s Black community on Election Day a century ago.
This suffering over the years has often been downplayed, diminished or disregarded by those in power. But through the decades, historians, activists, politicians and educators have fought to tell the stories of those oppressed and killed, while celebrating the often-unsung contributions of Black figures in Central Florida’s history.
Below are seven sites, spread throughout Central Florida, where you can observe and experience that history. For each, the Orlando Sentinel has compiled information on how to visit and what you’ll see, as well as a brief audio tour recounting the significance of each site.
To learn more about the Ocoee Massacre itself, you can also check out “Yesterday, This Was Home,” a special exhibition on display at the Orange County Regional History Museum through Feb. 14. You can read about the Sentinel’s tour of the exhibition at this link.
LISTEN:
HOURS:
9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
ADDRESS:
511 W. South St, Orlando, FL 32805
ABOUT THIS SITE:
Located in Orlando’s Parramore neighborhood, the Wells’Built Museum of African American History and Culture is housed in the building once occupied by the Wells’Built Hotel, which was founded in 1930 by prominent African America physician Dr. William Monroe Wells. Built during the segregation era, the hotel was established as a haven for visiting Black travelers, including prominent entertainers. The museum features exhibits on the Civil Rights movement, African art and artifacts as well as historic memorabilia from Orlando’s Black community.
WEBSITE:
LEARN MORE:
“Black America: Orlando,” by Geraldine Thompson
“Crossing Division Street: An Oral History of the African-American Community in Orlando,” by Benjamin D. Brotemarkle
LISTEN:
HOURS: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
ADDRESS: 1603 Greenwood St, Orlando, FL 32801
WEBSITE: www.orlando.gov/Our-Government/Departments-Offices/Executive-Offices/City-Clerk/Greenwood-Cemetery
ABOUT THIS SITE: Greenwood Cemetery, located south of Thornton Park and State Road 408, is the final resting place of numerous important figures in Orlando’s history. Among them is July Perry, whose grave went unmarked until 2002. Also buried at Greenwood is Sam Salisbury, a former Orlando police chief who led the posse that beset Perry’s Ocoee home. Established in 1880, Greenwood was unusual for the South in accepting Black and white decedents, though it maintained race-segregated sections until the cemetery was integrated 1960s. There are separate plots for Union and Confederate dead. Also among those buried here: milk magnate T.G. Lee, Thomas Jefferson’s grandson Francis Eppes and victims of the Pulse massacre. The cemetery is known for its moonlight walking tours, led by former sexton Don Price, but those have been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
LEARN MORE:
“Orlando, Florida: A Brief History,” by James C. Clark
LISTEN:
ADDRESS: 287 S Tampa Ave, Orlando, FL 32805
ABOUT THIS SITE: Named after Hall of Famer Joe Tinker, Tinker Field was built in 1923 and served as a spring training home to the Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers, Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins. In addition to hosting iconic Black players of the Civil Rights era, including Jackie Robinson, the ballpark was the site of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech during his sole visit to Orlando in 1964. The event was for decades left out of Orlando histories, until plans to destroy the park’s grandstands — revealed in 2014 after a city-approved expansion of the Citrus Bowl encroached into the outfield — renewed local interest in commemorating King’s visit. The demolition went forward, but the city built a historic plaza on the site, which features a historic timeline of important events, a monument to King, refurbished seats from the original stadium and a pavilion featuring plaques dedicated to the sporting and civil rights icons who graced the park and shaped its history.
LEARN MORE:
“A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches,” by Martin Luther King Jr., edited by James M. Washington
LISTEN:
ADDRESS: 350 W Main St, Tavares, FL 32778
ABOUT THIS SITE: Inside this courthouse, an all-white jury convicted three young Black men, Walter Irvin, Charles Greenlee and Samuel Shepherd, of the 1949 rape of 17-year-old Norma Padgett. A fourth man accused by authorities at the time, Ernest Thomas, was killed while fleeing a sheriff’s posse. The men are now known as the Groveland Four, and the case against them — built with perjured testimony, fabricated evidence and confessions coerced through torture — is considered among the most notorious racial injustices in Florida’s history. In February, a monument to the four was unveiled outside the courthouse, as part of an ongoing effort by Lake County and the state to make long-overdue amends, which also included the state Clemency Board pardoning the four men last year. The historic courthouse, built between 1923 and 1926, also houses the Lake County Historical Museum on its first floor, but that is currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
LEARN MORE:
“The Devil in The Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America,” by Gilbert King
“The Groveland Four: The Sad Saga of a Legal Lynching,” by Gary Corsair
LISTEN:
HOURS: Due to COVID-19, all tours must be scheduled by email: visitgoldsboro@goldsboromuseum.com
ADDRESS: 1211 Historic Goldsboro Blvd., Sanford, FL 32771
WEBSITE: www.goldsboromuseum.com
ABOUT THIS SITE: This museum honors the legacy of Goldsboro, which became one of the first Black-incorporated townships in the country in 1891. The city of Sanford, with the help of the state legislature, annexed Goldsboro two decades later, dissolving its charter and renaming several streets that drew their names from the town’s history. Local historian Francis Oliver led an effort to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the town’s dissolution by establishing the museum and the Goldsboro West Side Community Historical Association, which aims to celebrate the town’s history and restore its identity. The museum features photos, documents and other artifacts from the town’s history collected over decades, and has served as a nexus for civic engagement among Black residents of Sanford.
LEARN MORE:
“A Timeline Of The Civil Rights Struggle By Blacks Of The Goldsboro Community And Sanford, Florida & The Trailblazers That Led The Way,” by Francis Oliver
LISTEN:
HOURS: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday.
ADDRESS: 2180 Freedom Avenue, Mims, FL 32754
WEBSITE: harryharriettemoore.org
ABOUT THIS SITE: Harry T. Moore and his wife Harriette V.S. Moore were educators and prominent leaders of the civil rights movement. They were also infamously victims of anti-Black violence, dying after a bomb exploded beneath their house in Mims on Christmas night in 1951. The couple are considered among the first martyrs of the civil rights era. The site of their former home is now the Harry T. & Harriette V. Moore Memorial Park, which features a replica of the Moores’ home and the cultural center. The complex celebrates their lives and accomplishments in advancing the cause of equality and also promotes Black history. Here you can find memorabilia, artifacts and a library of historic materials, as well as interactive exhibits and speakers. The site also hosts exhibitions, performances and other events.
LEARN MORE:
“The Bomb Heard Around the World: The Lives and Deaths of Harry T & Harriette V Moore,” by Gregory Marquette
“Before His Time: The Untold Story Of Harry T. Moore, America’s First Civil Rights Martyr,” by Ben Green
LISTEN:
HOURS: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday.
ADDRESS: 344 E Kennedy Blvd, Eatonville, FL 32751
WEBSITE: zoranealehurstonmuseum.com
Named for famed author Zora Neale Hurston, who made her home in Eatonville and set many of her stories there, the museum’s mission is to showcase works from artists of African descent. The art, both permanent exhibits and lent works, includes paintings, sculptures and photography from a variety of time periods. The museum also hosts seasonal exhibitions. Hurston, who was also an anthropologist, wrote numerous works on the subject of racial strife in the early 20th century, including four novels, the best-known of which is “Their Eyes Were Watching God.”
LEARN MORE:
“Dust Tracks on a Road: A Memoir,” by Zora Neale Hurston
“Zora Neale Hurston : Novels and Stories,” by Zora Neale Hurston, edited by Cheryl A. Wall
dstennett@orlandosentinel.com; lruiz@orlandosentinel.com; jeweiner@orlandosentinel.com
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