I was in Miami in late February 2026, and while my wife was gambling in the Hard Rock Cafe, I visited the Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum in the Overtown District of Miami. It was a Sunday, and the museum was closed. I made a point of visiting the museum the next time I was in Miami, when it was open. That opportunity came a month later in late March. I took a guided tour and left with a history I’d been totally unaware of.
Miami was a segregated city from its inception. In that respect, it was exactly like every major city on Florida’s east coast. What they had in common was that their development was tied to the expansion of the Florida East Coast Railroad, owned by Henry Flagler. Those cities were: St. Augustine, Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach, Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
Later, Flagler’s dominated cities would include Homestead and Key West…