MIAMI – Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is proud to partner with local matriarchs to produce a new podcast highlighting the history and accomplishments of Coconut Grove’s Black community. Titled “The Rich and Forgotten History of Black Coconut Grove,” this three-episode series features stories from legacy residents of the neighborhood’s establishment and through their life experiences from the 1930s to modern-day.
Vizcaya has been working with Black leaders in Coconut Grove since 2019, striving to build better relationships with the community while researching the estate’s past. In February 2020, Vizcaya joined forces with the G.W. Carver High School Alumni Association to launch a multi-part community forum, bringing together Black thought leaders to share their experiences and history of Coconut Grove.
With the rise of COVID, the team quickly pivoted to transform the remaining engagements into a podcast of the same name, allowing these stories to live on in perpetuity.
“We’ve been working with these women for years and hearing their stories firsthand has been such a gift. Now, getting to share those stories for a much larger audience is exciting and is so important. The stories featured on this podcast provide an intimate look into this community and in listening to these legacy residents, we learn how heritage is powerful and empowers us,” said Rebecca Peterson, podcast host and Community Programs Manager at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.
The podcast features interviews with Leona Louise Cooper Baker, Carol Ann Davis Henley Bird, Edwina Winifred Marie Prime, Thelma Anderson Gibson, Enid Pinkney, Iral Porter, and Clarice Cooper. There is also an interview recorded by Cooper Baker in the 1980s, featuring Rebecca Gibson. They share the everyday events of the time as well as scandalous events. The goal is not only to share their experience through segregation and post-segregation, but also to spotlight the accomplishments of scholars, doctors, and other prominent figures in the community.
To listen to the podcast, HERE or search for “The Rich and Forgotten History of Coconut Grove” on your preferred podcast platform.
SOBRE EL MUSEO Y JARDINES DE VIZCAYA
El Museo y Jardines de Vizcaya es un Monumento Histórico Nacional que preserva sus recursos culturales y medioambientales para que la gente conecte con el pasado, comprenda el presente y forje el futuro. Construida entre 1914 y 1922 como residencia de invierno del fabricante agrícola James Deering, Vizcaya es uno de los ejemplos más intactos que quedan de esta época en Estados Unidos, cuando las fincas construidas por los empresarios de más éxito del país se inspiraban en las casas señoriales de Europa. Vizcaya cuenta con una Casa Principal repleta de una colección de arte decorativo, 10 acres de jardines formales, una hamaca rocosa (bosque autóctono), una orilla de manglares y una villa histórica que se está restaurando para contar la historia completa de Vizcaya y proporcionar espacios adicionales para programas y actividades de divulgación comunitaria, incluidos los de agricultura. Vizcaya ha sido un centro comunitario desde su apertura al público en 1953; recibe 300.000 visitantes al año.
Situado en la Bahía de Biscayne, en el 3251 de South Miami Avenue, Vizcaya abre de miércoles a lunes de 9:30 a 16:30. Cierra los martes, el Día de Acción de Gracias y el Día de Navidad. Para más información, visite www.vizcaya.org, conéctese a través de las redes sociales o llame al 305-250-9133.
