The Black Voices series features stories from matriarchs, thought leaders and historians from the Black Coconut Grove community.
While quarantine remains in effect, these are recorded remotely as audio recordings as a direct response to the racial tensions brought to light by the murder of George Floyd. They are one of the ways Vizcaya has decided to highlight Black voices in our community and these reflections ensure we continue to capture and share these important stories.
EPISODE 1 | BLACK SELF-MADE MILLIONAIRE
While the concept a self-made millionaire is already impressive by today’s standards, it is even more so for a Black man to have achieved during segregation.
Listen as Mrs. Carol Ann Davis Henely Bird and in the mid-late 1900s (not 1800s) proudly shares the story of her grandfather – E.W.F Stirrup Sr., a self-made Black millionaire and a pillar of the Black Grove community in the mid to late 1800s.
EPISODE 2 | BAHAMIAN IMMIGRANTS & PERSEVERANCE
Regardless of the color of your skin, there’s one thing many of us Miamians have in common – an immigrant background. Whether you’re first, second or 10th generation, you carry your elders’ hopes for a better life.
In this episode, Mrs. Leona Louise Cooper Baker speaks her parents’ dreams for her and their family.
EPISODE 3 | DR. IRAL P. DAVIS
Time to meet the unofficial Mayor of Colored Town, Dr. Iral P. Davis. Dr. Davis was a community leader and forerunner of the human rights movement in Coconut Grove.
Who better to make this introduction than his own daughter, Carol Henley, VP of the G. W. Carver High School Alumni. Let’s have a listen.
EPISODE 4 | FROM NASSAU TO COCONUT GROVE
Ever visited a new place that reminded you of home?
Many visitors from Latin America and Europe feel this way when they come to Vizcaya. And this is exactly how Edwina Prime, who was born and raised in the Bahamas, felt during her first visit to Coconut Grove.
Listen as she takes you back in time.
EPISODE 5 | TALKING WITH DR. ENID PINKNEY
An educator and preservation activist, Dr. Enid Pinkney has worked to ensure the legacy of Miami’s Black community, securing the preservation of landmarks such as Brownsville Hotel and Hampton House.
Sit back as we spend the next hour with Dr. Pinkney, learning about her experience growing up in 1940s Miami.
