City Of West Palm Beach To Observe Black History Month In February

From City of West Palm Beach:

January 14, 2021

The City of West Palm Beach will observe Black History Month in February. The month celebrates the contributions that African Americans have made to our history in their struggles for freedom and equality and deepens our understanding of our nation’s and our city’s history. At the January 25, 2021 City Commission meeting, Mayor Keith A. James will issue a special proclamation declaring the month Black History Month, and the City will host a series of events. Black or African American residents comprise 34.4% of our city’s population, according to the U.S. Census.

The City of West Palm Beach has a rich, diverse history. Are you familiar with the contributions of these Black and African American residents to our city’s history?

• Hazel A. Augustus: Hazel Augustus is believed to have been West Palm Beach’s first African American architect. Scant details exist of Augustus’s life, although it is known he designed many prominent homes in the black districts of West Palm Beach, as evidenced in the permit records, in addition to the El Verano Hotel (later Helen Wilkes Residence Hotel), Payne Chapel A.M.E., and the Tabernacle Baptist Church. His career was cut short by a fatal automobile accident in 1926. Just north of his home at 621 Division, he also designed the Gwen Cherry house at 625 Division, which was demolished in the 2000s. Augustus’s home at 625 Division was once destined to be the Black Historical Preservation Society for the Northwest neighborhood, but the property was demolished in 1987 due to advanced deterioration. Permit records show that Hazel A. Augustus originally built this home for himself with W. Hart as the contractor.
• Dr. J. H. Russell Dyett, M.D. (1894-1974): – Dr. J. H. Russell Dyett was born in the Bahamas in 1894, immigrated to the United States in 1913, and was a graduate of Howard University. He received his initial medical training from several internships, including the Freedmen’s Hospital at Howard University (Washington D.C.) in 1926. Although Dyett studied extensively throughout Europe, he would eventually settle in West Palm Beach and worked at Pine Ridge Hospital. By 1939, Dyett opened his private practice on Third Street. As a prominent member of the community, Dyett was the president of the Pioneer Loan Association (to service Black residents), and a member of the prestigious Vanguard Club, which functioned to provide community support services along with other leaders in the Black community. Through the Vanguard Club, members helped with upgrading Pine Ridge Hospital. Dr. Dyett’s office was located at 528 3rd Street.
• Mildred “Millie” W. Gildersleeve (1858-1950): A Georgia native and freed slave, Millie Gildersleeve first came to the West Palm Beach area around 1876, reportedly with Elisha N. Dimick and his family. By 1886, she worked for local doctor Richard Potter as the area’s first midwife. In 1890 she married M. J. Jake Gildersleeve and would raise five children on the waterfront property, in present day Riviera Beach, deeded to her by Dimick. As a trustee, she was instrumental in establishing Evergreen Cemetery by 1913 as the final resting place for Black residents of the city.
• Thomas Leroy Jefferson (1867-1939): Thomas Leroy Jefferson was born in Hazelhurst, Mississippi. Jefferson taught school in New Iberia, Louisiana, while he ran a drugstore. He attended Meharry Medical School in Nashville, Tennessee, and first practiced medicine in Orange, Texas, and New Orleans, Louisiana. In the early 1900s, he moved his family to Palm Beach, where he opened a medical office in the Black community known as the “Styx.” By 1912, after the residents of the Styx moved to West Palm Beach, Jefferson opened a medical office on North Olive Avenue and a drugstore at Clematis Street and Rosemary Avenue. He was the first Black physician in West Palm Beach and was known as the “bicycle doctor” because he was frequently seen making his rounds and house calls on a bicycle. Jefferson continued to provide medical care to the Black community until a few years before he died. Today, the T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society, the namesake of the doctor, is a healthcare professionals organization that focuses on helping underserved populations in our community.
• James Jerome “Cracker” Johnson (1877-1946): Born in Savannah, GA in 1877, Cracker Johnson held tremendous influence as a result of his “business activities” including gambling and bootlegging. At sixteen he became a cabin boy on a freighter. This job provided the opportunity for him to travel and see other cities. He then worked as a constable before moving to Florida where he established a moonshine business in 1899. Johnson also developed gambling and pawn brokering businesses and used the money to purchase real estate all over Florida. In 1921, Johnson built a red brick jail to house Blacks at the corner of Second Street and Rosemary Avenue, due to Blacks being jailed outside of the city when arrested because of segregation. Cracker Johnson provided money for the strained city budget to purchase tools and equipment for criminals to use while incarcerated. He later loaned the City $50,000 to balance the budget. Cracker Johnson also owned and operated the Florida Bar on Rosemary Avenue where the employees were required to dress in cut-away dinner jackets, tuxedo trousers, winged collared dress shirts with studs and cufflinks and bow ties. Cracker Johnson married Ella Johnson in Quincy, Florida and they had two daughters, Marguerite and Edye. According to tax records his earnings in 1926 was $687,000; in 1927 it was $792,000 and in 1928 it was $971,000. His church, the Boy and Girl Scouts, his lawyers, those seeking a college education, and anyone who was in need, knew him as a philanthropist. Cracker’s home had an automatic sprinkler system, special awnings that served as shutters. Cracker Johnson’s house still stands today in West Palm Beach.
• Eva Williams Mack (1915-1998): Born in Alabama, Eva Williams Mack earned a nursing degree at Simmons College, Boston, trained in Atlanta, and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Columbia University. After completing her education, Mack moved to West Palm Beach in 1948 and worked as a public health nurse with Dr. Carl Brumback, Palm Beach County’s first public health director. Mack was the first health specialist for the Palm Beach County School Board and founded the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of Palm Beach County in 1979. She and Ruby Bullock became the first African American city commissioners of West Palm Beach in 1978. Mack was elected mayor of West Palm Beach in 1982 and served two one-year terms.
• Haley Mickens & Alice Frederick Mickens: In 1893, Haley Mickens founded Bethel church in what was then known as “the Styx,” now known as Palm Beach. The following year, the church became Payne Chapel A.M.E. The current church was built on 9th Street. Alice Frederick Mickens served as trustee at Bethune Cookman College for more than 30 years.
• Judge Edward Rogers (1927-2018): Edward Rogers was a civil rights pioneer and Palm Beach County’s first Black judge. Born in Pittsburgh and a resident of Riviera Beach, he graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C. and Florida A&M University law school, Judge Rogers taught at Roosevelt High School for several years. As a lawyer, he pushed to desegregate the Children’s Home Society, represented Black West Palm Beach Police Officers in discrimination complaints, and led a campaign to desegregate Good Samaritan Hospital. He founded the county’s first drug court in Riviera Beach. In 1973, he was appointed Palm Beach County’s first Black judge.
• Thomas Rudolph Vickers (1879-1965): Thomas Rudolph Vickers was born in Key West and graduated from Howard University’s medical school. In about 1912 he started a medical practice on Rosemary Avenue, one of seven Black pioneer physicians in West Palm Beach. Dr. Vickers owned a home mortgage-free at 911 First Avenue in the 1920s and 1930s and moved to Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard in 1939. During segregation, he provided affordable medical care to the Black community. Dr. Vickers was considered a role model for his personal achievements and his contributions to the community in service and leadership. Dr. Vickers was named a Great Floridian 2000 by the Florida Department of State and the Florida League of Cities. Dr. Vickers’ house was restored and currently operates as a community resource center.

The City of West Pam Beach will observe the month with a series of FREE events. The Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach offers these programs for adults and children:

• Author Talk with Ersula Knox-Odom: “Doris Ross Reddick: One Person Can Make a Difference”

Tuesday, February 2

6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Live on Zoom

FREE

Join writer and motivational speaker Ersula K. Odom as she discusses her book “Doris Ross Reddick: One Person Can Make a Difference.” You’ll learn about the first Black woman to serve on and chair the Hillsborough County School Board and how, with her soft voice and firm hand, she made a difference. No registration required. Visit the library online calendar for the Zoom link. For more information, visit wpbcitylibrary.org or call 561-868-7701.

• Traveling While Black: A Virtual Reality Experience

Starting Wednesday, February 3

Wednesdays, 4:30 – 6:30 PM

Saturdays, 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Digital Studios, 2nd Floor

Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach, 411 Clematis Street

FREE

Witness what it was like to travel through the mid-20th century United States as an African American in this Emmy-nominated virtual reality documentary experience. No registration required. Request to view this 20-minute experience at the 2nd floor information desk. You must be at least 15 years old. Safety guidelines and cleanliness procedures are in place. For the safety of our library community, patrons and staff are expected to comply with CDC, state, and county COVID recommendations. For more information, visit wpbcitylibrary.org or call 561-868-7760.

• SaSa African Dance Theater Performance

Saturday, February 6

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Live on Zoom

FREE

Join Shelia Moorehead and the SaSa African Dance theater as they perform a traditional African Dance for you to enjoy. The SaSa African Dance Theater is a performance collective dedicated to the performance, education, and expression of music and dance from the African Diaspora. No registration required. Visit the library online calendar for the Zoom link. For more information, visit wpbcitylibrary.org or call 561-868-7701.

• Sweetheart’s Book Club

Thursday, February 11

6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Live on Zoom

FREE

Sweetheart’s Book Club focuses on romance books with people of color or LGBTQ+ main characters. Join us this month for a discussion showcasing African American romance authors. No registration required. Visit the library online calendar for the Zoom link. For more information, visit wpbcitylibrary.org or call 561-868-7701.

• Book Discussion: “White Fragility” with Professor Africa Fine

Tuesday, February 16

6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Live on Zoom

FREE

Africa Fine, Associate Professor and Department Co-Chair of English and Literature at Palm Beach State College, returns to discuss the book “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo. Join us for an intriguing and timely discussion. No registration required. Visit the library online calendar for the Zoom link. For more information, visit wpbcitylibrary.org or call 561-868-7701.

• TCM: Thursday Classic Movie

Thursday, February 25

10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Auditorium, 3rd Floor

Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach, 411 Clematis Street

FREE

Join us for a new movie program featuring classic movies. On February 25, enjoy 1985’s “The Color Purple” starring Danny Glover, Whoopie Goldberg, and Oprah Winfrey. Registration is required and limited to 17 people. Safety guidelines and cleanliness procedures are in place. For the safety of our library community, patrons and staff are expected to comply with CDC, state, and county COVID recommendations. For more information or to register, visit wpbcitylibrary.org or call 561-868-7701.

• Sunshine & Stories Celebrates Black History Month

Monday, February 1

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Library Courtyard

Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach, 411 Clematis Street

FREE

For families with children up to 5 years old. Join Children’s Librarian Ms. Jeanne for a special edition storytime celebrating Black History Month. Ms. Jeanne will share “Charlie Parker Played Be Bop” by Chris Racshka and “What a Wonderful World” by Bryan Ashley and David Weiss with music by Louis Armstrong. Children will receive a take home arts and crafts kit. Registration is required and limited to 10 families. One registration per family is required (not per child). For the safety of our library community, patrons and staff are expected to comply with CDC, state, and county COVID recommendations. In case of cancelation due to inclement weather, registrants will be notified via email by 9:00 AM the day of the program. For your comfort, please bring a blanket for seating during storytime. For more information or to register visit wpbcitylibrary.org or call 561-868-7703.

• Black History Month: African Drumming

Saturday, February 6

1:00 PM – 1:30 PM, for children in grades K-2

1:30 PM – 2:00 PM, for children in grades 3-5

Auditorium, 3rd Floor

Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach, 411 Clematis Street

FREE

Afrique Ngozi Dance and Drum Inc. will present a lively African Drumming class for elementary age children. Explore basic drumming techniques while learning about the history of the instruments. Registration is required and limited to 16 children per session. Safety guidelines and cleanliness procedures are in place. For the safety of our library community, patrons and staff are expected to comply with CDC, state, and county COVID recommendations. For more information, visit wpbcitylibrary.org or call 561-868-7703.

• Tech Lab Celebrates Black History Month

Thursday, February 18

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Auditorium, 3rd Floor & Live on Zoom

Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach, 411 Clematis Street

FREE

For kids in grades K-5. Nurture problem-solving skills, logic, and creativity with Hour of Code. All skill levels are welcome. Registration is required and limited to 5 children in-person. Safety guidelines and cleanliness procedures are in place. For the safety of our library community, patrons and staff are expected to comply with CDC, state, and county COVID recommendations. To attend on Zoom, registration and an active email address are required. Registrants will receive a Zoom link by email on the day of event. For more information or to register, visit wpbcitylibrary.org or call 561-868-7703.

• KidSpace Book Club – “Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass” by Dean Robbins

Saturday, February 20

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Auditorium, 3rd Floor & Live on Zoom

Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach, 411 Clematis Street

FREE

Kids in grades K-5 are invited to listen to a read-aloud of the book “Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass” by Dean Robbins and engage in a discussion. Registrants will receive a grab and go kit to decorate their own paper teacup. Those attending virtually will need to pick up their kit at the library prior to the program. Registration is required and limited to 16 children in-person. Safety guidelines and cleanliness procedures are in place. For the safety of our library community, patrons and staff are expected to comply with CDC, state, and county COVID recommendations. To attend on Zoom, registration and an active email address are required. Registrants will receive a Zoom link by email on the day of event. For more information or to register, visit wpbcitylibrary.org or call 561-868-7703.

• Black History Month Bingo

Thursday, February 25

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Auditorium, 3rd Floor

Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach, 411 Clematis Street

FREE

Kids in grades K-5 are invited to play a game of Bingo while learning about African American leaders. Bingo winners will receive a book written by an African American author. Registration is required and is limited to 15 children. Safety guidelines and cleanliness procedures are in place. For the safety of our library community, patrons and staff are expected to comply with CDC, state, and county COVID recommendations. For more information or to register, visit wpbcitylibrary.org or call 561-868-7703.

• Teen Book Club – “Pride” by Ibi Zoboi

Saturday, February 27

2:00 – 3:00 PM

TeenSource, 2nd Floor

Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach, 411 Clematis Street

FREE

Teens and tweens grades 6 – 12 are invited to discuss Ibi Zoboi’s “Pride.” Celebrate Black History Month with this sweet and smart remix of “Pride & Prejudice.” Ibi Zoboi is the critically-acclaimed author of National Book Award finalist “American Street,” “My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich,” and “Punching the Air” with Dr. Yusef Salaam. “Pride” is available as an e-book and e-audiobook through the Hoopla digital app. Physical copies are also available for check out from KidSpace on the 3rd floor. Registration is required and limited to 6 participants. Safety guidelines and cleanliness procedures are in place. For the safety of our library community, patrons and staff are expected to comply with CDC, state, and county COVID recommendations.

To contact the City of West Palm Beach, please call (561) 822-2222 (TTY: 800-955-8771). To learn more, please visit wpb.org.

This press release was produced by the City of West Palm Beach. The views expressed are the author's own.