The Real Rosewood

by AIDA MALLARD
Special to the Guardian

Poetry and history, singing and dancing, and local history makers were the main attraction at a celebration of Black History Month held Tuesday at Prairie View Academy.

School principal Dr. Barbara Henry offered the welcoming remarks and recited the words to ”Lift Ever’y Voice,” the Negro National Anthem.

“We are here to celebrate our rich heritage and history and to encourage the children,” said Henry. ”These children are bright stars who will become successful and outstanding citizens.”

The school’s safety patrol students led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance, and Frances Leslie sang a stirring rendition of “America the Beautiful” that brought the house to its feet.

“We are here exposing children to living history,” said Cynthia Mingo, the event’s organizer and a retired teacher at the school. ”We are happy and proud today.”

The children in the Head Start program performed like seasoned veterans for an appreciative audience as they recited, “A Beautiful World” and “My People,” poems by Langston Hughes.

The fifth-graders had everyone’s feet a-tapping with a lively dance to the song, “Shake Yourself Loose.”

Although a large group of the students consisted of little ones in Head Start and kindergarten, they behaved like their older peers and listened intently.

The theme, “History Living Among Us,” was well covered with local history makers giving brief presentations.

Charles Chestnut III, a local civil rights activist and former elected official, shared a powerful poem with the children. He told the children, “You are the future of our world. Become stepping stones and do not become stumbling blocks.”

Kali Blount, an advocate for black history to be taught in schools, said, “Remember black history every day of the year, and not just in Black History Month.”

Lizzie Jenkins, president of the Real Rosewood Foundation Inc. and the author of ”Rosewood,” said she was just 5 years old when she heard what happened at Rosewood and knew even then that she would write the story someday. “This is my story and I am sticking to it,” she said.

Historian Vivian Filer talked about the Cotton Club and the plans for the building to become a museum and cultural center.

Margaret Rosenberger, who was the school’s second principal when it was Prairie View Elementary and also an author, spoke about the early days, and she gave Henry a copy of her book, “A Lifetime of Humor,” for the school library.

Dr. Lougene Hill, who served as school principal from 1980-1998, joked, saying, “There were some good times, some not so good. No, I don’t miss it and I don’t want to go back.”

Then in a more serious mode, he said, “Too often, we become complacent and want to maintain the status quo. Take the good and the bad and roll with the punches. These boys and girls are our future.”

The Rev. Gladys Days, pastor of Abundant Life Outreach Ministries, sang “If I Can Help Somebody.”

In closing remarks, Mingo asked the audience for feedback and received a resounding “Excellent!” But for kindergarten student Carmen Pierce, the program was fun, and the “dancing was great,” she said.

Courtesy of the Gainesville Sun
by Cleveland Tinker
Special to THE GUARDIAN

It was an evening with Rosewood families and friends and recognition of unsung heroes at the Real Rosewood Foundation Inc.’s second annual awards dinner held Saturday in Gainesville.

The theme was remembering the legacy of Rosewood, and organizers said that preserving Rosewood’s history was akin to preserving America’s history.

“It is very important to get the truth out about the Rosewood incident because I want people to know the truth,” said Lizzie R. Jenkins, executive director of the Real Rosewood Foundation Inc., which is based in Archer.

Jenkins said it is important to recognize the unsung heroes of Rosewood that helped many black residents escape from the small Levy County town in 1923, when a white woman falsely accused a black man of raping her. As a result of the accusation, James Taylor, the husband of the alleged victim, formed a mob that terrorized the black community, killing five blacks.

“Had it not been for the unsung heroes of Rosewood in 1923, my family members and other Rosewood citizens would have perished or died,” said Jenkins. “It is one way in and one way out of Rosewood. Sheriff (Robert) Walker worked 96 hours straight without sleep, begging people to help him get black people out of Rosewood safely.”

Phoebe Walker Hughes is the niece of the late Levy County sheriff, and she was presented with an Unsung Heroes Award in her uncle’s honor.

Hughes said she found out about Jenkins’ foundation from her daughter, who had seen a movie about Rosewood. They knew their uncle had been a sheriff in the town, and searched the Internet to find out about the movie. Their search led them to Jenkins.

Jenkins said Hughes’ daughter, Lee Yarborough, wrote her and apologized if her family had harmed anybody during the riot.

“I wrote her back and told her that her uncle saved a lot of lives,” said Jenkins, who would eventually begin corresponding with Hughes. “My reason for embracing the white Rosewood descendants is because my foundation is inclusive.”

Other awards given out was the William C. Bryce Unsung Heroes Award presented to his great-granddaughter, Margaret Kruse. The John Bryce Unsung Heroes Award was presented to his great-great-grandniece, Allison Piliod. The Bryces helped Walker protect blacks, according to Jenkins.

The Sarah Carrier Humanitarian Award was presented to Alachua Vice-Mayor Bonnie Burgess “for her tireless work in support and belief in her hometown of Alachua, the same as Sarah Carrier supported and believed in her hometown of Rosewood…”

“It is awesome. I am truly honored to have been chosen for this award,” said Burgess, a candidate for the state House of Representatives seat being vacated by Ed Jennings Jr. “When Liz called me and told me the board had chosen me, I thought it was a prank call.”

The Aaron Carrier Humanitarian Award was presented to John M. Jenkins, Liz Jenkins’ husband, “for supporting her tireless efforts to tell the Rosewood story…”

The Sylvester Carrier Humanitarian Award was presented to Charles Goston “for embracing and respecting the image of his community…”

The Ola Mae Hines Humanitarian Award went to Andrew Hines, “corresponding to his mother’s patience, guidance and strength to survive…”

The Ernest M. Blocker Pioneer Award was presented to his son Ronald Blocker, the event’s guest speaker. Blocker, a Rosewood descendant, is superintendent of the Orange County Public Schools.

Proceeds from the banquet will help fund the creation of the Rosewood Museum, which will be located in Archer.