History of Rosewood, Florida
Founding of Rosewood
Rosewood was established March 10, 1845 in Levy County, Florida on a road leading to Cedar Key and the Gulf of Mexico. It took its name from the abundant red cedar that grew in the area. It prospered as the Florida Railroad established a small depot to handle the transport of cedar wood to the pencil factory in Cedar Key and the transportation of citrus, vegetables and cotton. In 1890 the cedar depleted and many of the white families moved to Sumner, 3 miles west of Rosewood. By 1900 Rosewood had a black majority of citizens.
Rosewood Massacre
On the morning of January 1, 1923 Fannie Coleman from Sumner Florida, a town 3 miles from Rosewood, claimed she was assaulted by a black man. Although she was not seriously injured and was able to describe what happened she did remain unconscious for several hours allegedly due to the shock of the incident. No one disputed her account and no questions were asked. It was assumed she was reporting the incident honestly and correctly.
Sarah Carrier a black woman from Rosewood who did the laundry for Fannie Coleman and was present on the morning of the incident, claimed the man that assaulted Fannie Coleman was her white lover. It was believed the two lovers quarreled and he abused Fannie and left. However, in 1923 no one questioned Fannie Coleman's account and no one asked Sarah Carrier about the incident. The black community claimed Fannie Coleman was only protecting herself from scandal.
A posse was formed under the direction of Sheriff Walker of Levy County. The white community in the county became aroused at the abuse of a white woman by a black man and four to five hundred began to comb the woods behind the Coleman home. Suspicion soon fell on Jesse Hunter a black man from Rosewood who had recently escaped from a convict road gang. He was said to be in the company of Sam Carter also from Rosewood.
The posse confronted Carter at his home and Carter admitted to helping Hunter escape. The posse forced Carter to take them to the place where he last saw Hunter. Carter took the posse to where he parted ways with Hunter. When no trace of Hunter could be found the posse turned into a lynch mob and tortured Carter, riddled him with bullets and hung him from a tree.
The posse then continued their hunt in Rosewood. The posse confronted Aaron Carrier and took him into the woods to hang him. The saw mill manager from Sumner, Edward Pillsbury saw what was about to happen intervened and removed Carrier to the Bronson jail. The posse then moved on to Sylvester Carrier's home and ordered him out of town. Sylvester Carrier refused. When the posse moved on Sylvester Carrier had several family members move the home of his mother, Sarah Carrier until the tension cooled down.
January 2nd and 3rd were uneventful, but on Thursday January 4th word reached the white men in Sumner that a group of blacks had taken refuge in Rosewood. The men formed a "party of citizens" to investigate and see if they could find Sylvester Carrier, who had become a lightning rod for their anger. The citizens planned to warn Carrier and see what he or any others knew about Hunter. The Sumner citizens found the group of blacks barricaded in Sarah Carrier's house. The white citizens waited outside the house as their numbers grew and deliberated about how they were to accomplish their mission. Finally Henry Andrews, Superintendent of Cumer Lumber Company and C. P. Wilkerson a Sumner merchant mounted the steps and attempted to enter the home of Sarah Carrier. They were killed on the porch by the blacks inside the home. The white citizens cordoned off the house and began to "pour a hail of lead" into it. Fire was returned from inside and four more white men were wounded.
Assistance was requested from the Alachua County Sheriff Ramsey and he sent carloads of deputies and armed citizens which probably included a large number of members from the Klu Klux Klan as they had been rallying and marching in Gainesville at the time. The battle at the Sarah Carrier house continued until 4:00 AM January 5th when the white citizens of Sumner had to request additional ammunition as their supply had run low. When the firing stopped the people inside the Carrier escaped under the cover of darkness into the woods and Hammock.
When daylight approached and ammunition arrived the white citizens of Sumner entered the Carrier house where they found Sylvester Carrier and Sarah Carrier dead. All the others had made their escape. The white citizens were infuriated that the others had escaped and ransacked and burned the Carrier house. Then they ransacked and burned five other homes and a church in the black section of Rosewood. Lexie Gordon whose home was set afire by the mob was shot and killed as she tried to flee to the woods. The remaining black residents of Rosewood left their town and ran to the safety of the woods and Hammock or to other neighboring towns as the white mob continued to destroy the black section of Rosewood.
James Carrier, the son of Sarah and brother of Sylvester had escaped. On Saturday morning he left his hideout and returned to Rosewood. He was offered protection by W. H. Pillsbury the white superintendent of Cumer mill. Later, when a clash became imminent, he was turned over to the white mob. He was taken to the graves of his brother and mother and tortured before he was shot and stretched across the graves.
On Sunday morning the mob returned and one by one burned the last remaking structures belonging to the black community.
Rosewood Aftermath
On February 12th, 1923 a special grand jury was empanelled to investigate the massacre. After twenty-five white and eight black witnesses testified the jurors reported that they could find no evidence on which to base any indictments.
The black community of Rosewood never returned, Many left for other cities and counties and a number changed their names. Their land was confiscated under tax sales and not until 1994 did the state or any public entity offer an apology or make any compensation.