100’s
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY TAKES A JOURNEY TO ROSEWOOD
---Students Experience
Florida’s History
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For Immediate Release
April
10, 2006
Contact:
Charesse Chester & Associates, Inc.
(305)
944-7564
MIAMI-DADE—Recently, members
of the 100 Black Men of South Florida’s
Leadership Academy traveled to Rosewood to learn
about Florida’s history.
“Blood, tears and sweat were shed before we
came along, “said Janie Bradley Black, a
Rosewood descendant and director of the Rosewood
Heritage Foundation Inc. “It is important
to teach our kids about the struggles of our family
members.”
For the participants, the tour was a real history
lesson.
“Reading the book gave us the details. Traveling
to the spot where it all happened made it real for
me,” said Jabin Francois, 15, a senior
at North Miami Senior High. “It was a
good experience for us to go to Rosewood to learn
about the past.”
Rosewood, Florida was an all-black township of 355
people located in central Florida. The township
consisted of three churches, a store, a school, and
a dozen large two-story homes. The residents
of Rosewood were proud of their community.
Then, their lives were changed forever.
On New Year’s Day in 1923, a Sumner housewife
claimed that a black man attacked her. As a
result, an all white posse went to Rosewood to find
the accused. Some Rosewood residents, including
children, were assaulted and killed. The township
was destroyed.
For decades, the tragedy of Rosewood went undocumented.
In the summer of 1993, the Florida Legislature commissioned
a study of the events surrounding the destruction
of Rosewood and a bill was filed to compensate the
victims. On May 23, 1994, the Florida Legislature
passed the Rosewood Claims Bill, awarding two million
dollars to the survivors and descendants.
“There is so much history in the Rosewood
tragedy. People of all colors helped to bring
justice to the Rosewood families, “said Lynn
Washington, a member of the 100 Black Men of South
Florida. “As their mentors, it is our responsibility
to share the lessons of the past as well as prepare
them for their future.”
The Rosewood Heritage Foundation Inc. was
established in honor of the Rosewood families.
The Leadership Academy provides development
to school-aged males in 26 Miami-Dade and Broward
County middle and high schools. It has been recognized
locally, nationally and internationally for successfully
linking youth to effective intervention and prevention
services.
The 100 Black Men of South Florida, Inc. (www.100blackmensf.org) is
a non-profit, 501 (c) (3) organization that focuses
on the 4 for the Future Initiatives: Education, Health & Wellness,
Economic Development and Mentoring. The 100BMSF
serves hundreds of families annually.
 Download
a copy of this press release here.
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