GOING OVERTOWN
A digital project memorializing African American cultural landscapes in South Florida
Downtown Miami
In studying Overtown's past, we observe not just the evident racial boundaries typical of South Florida during the Jim Crow era but also glimpse a vibrant counter-narrative of cultural and social resistance amidst Miami's popular tourist attractions. Within this area, Overtown, often referred to as 'Colored Town,' emerged as a refuge for diverse communities from the American South and the Circum-Caribbean. The resultant cultural fusion has had a lasting impact on the city’s socio-cultural landscape evident to this day. Echoing a narrative seen across America, Overtown exemplifies the rise of thriving urban areas showcasing the spirit of Black entrepreneurship, culture, and community bonds. With roots going back to Miami's early days in 1896, Overtown isn't just a historical marker of the city's racial dynamics; it is a testament to the power of community and cultural celebration.
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Photo: Downtown Miami Business district ( east of FEC train lines) and Overtown during the 1940s. Copyright History Miami Museum Research Archives.
The heritage community of West Coconut Grove ( Macfarlane Historic District) is populated by a significant number of residential wood structures dating to the 1920s. This community was established as part of a second wave of "economic migrants" from the Bahamas and contributing to Southeastern Florida local labor force as skillful farmers, builders and employees of an emerging resort destination.
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Photo: Coconut Grove residents (late 1890s). Copyright History Miami Museum Research Archives.
Miami-Dade County
Located in an isolated area of Northwest Miami-Dade County the city is arguably South Florida’s most fabled development as a cinematic recreation of an exotic environment. American aviation pioneer Glenn Curtis vison of a self-sufficient town vision failed to materialize due to his untimely death, a series of devastating hurricanes, and the 1930s economic crisis. During ensuing decades, the city underwent a substantive demographic transformation first becoming home to servicemen stationed in nearby US military bases then after the war becoming a middle-class white enclave and during the 1970s a substantive number of African-Americans moved from Overtown when the community was razed for the construction of I-95. Recent arrivals from the Caribbean and Central America have contributed to diversifying its population.
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Photo: Period postcard (1930s)