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Item 13 Proposed Language and Location for a November 1920 Election Day Massacre Historic Marker; Clarification of 441 Basking Ridge Court Property Status. OCC)C florida AGENDA ITEM COVER SHEET Meeting Date: April 2, 2019 Item # /3 Reviewed By: Contact Name: Jack A. Butler Department Director: ,,f le''" Contact Number: 407-554-7063 City Manager: / / - Subject: Proposed language and location for a November 1920 El ction Day Massacre historic marker; clarification of 441 Basking Ridge Ct. property status. Background Summary: Last Fall, the City Commission issued a proclamation regarding the November 1920 Election Day Massacre and endorsed a general plan for recognition of this event, including installation of a marker in Lakefront Park and a public gathering on the 100th anniversary of this tragic episode in 2020. As part of this continuing effort, the Human Relations Diversity Board (HRDB), a city advisory committee, developed language for an historic marker. Initially developed in concert with the Equal Justice Initiative, it has more recently been pursued as a Florida Historic Marker candidate under the program managed by the Florida Department of State. These markers are two-sided cast metal signs. The City recently received approval and is proceeding with the creation and installation of a similar Florida Historic Marker for the Withers-Maguire House. (The pre-manufacturing process is currently underway.) Historic markers may have the same language on both faces of the sign or different language on each face for an additional cost. The language developed by the HRDB included different messages for each face. One face is to provide information about the November 1920 event. The other side is to have language about lynching as a historic practice. The November 1920 event language was about 400 characters longer than permitted by the Florida Historic Marker program, so city staff edited the language to fit within the 1,235 character limit. This final language is presented for City Commission endorsement or modification prior to staff submitting the formal Florida Historic Marker application. In addition to finalizing the marker's language, two other related issues need to be settled. First is resolution of the status of the property where the existing "Hallowed Ground" monument is located. Second is the proposed location for the November 1920 historic marker. For many years, it was believed that the one-acre property at the end of Basking Ridge Ct. was an abandoned African-American cemetery. To recognize this status, a metal historic sign was posted at the property about 16 years ago. This was subsequently replaced by a granite monument with an abbreviated form of the language contained on the sign. Both referred to the site as "hallowed ground" given its believed status as an inactive African-American cemetery. Extensive research and physical onsite investigations by archeologists, the Florida Department of State, and city staff were unable to find any evidence to support a conclusion that the site was, in fact, a cemetery. These investigations included the use of ground-penetrating radar to survey the entire property. All anomalies found in that survey were investigated by probing and excavating the soil down to the indicated depth. No evidence of personal remains was discovered. This survey augmented the work done by archeologists in 2003. In addition, the site is not listed on any registry of historic African-American cemeteries, nor is it located near any known historic African-American churches or settlements. Property records indicate that the site is simply abandoned as a result of it not being included in the properties of Ms. Lena D. Brannon, daughter of Bluford Sims, when her will was probated in 1947. A quiet title action was undertaken by her heirs in August 1961 to establish clear title to the adjacent property that became the Forest Ridge Subdivision. The record of that action revealed that this property had been offered to the Ocoee Cemetery Association in 1947 as a site for a future "colored cemetery," but the offer was ultimately rejected by the Association in 1952—notably after probate of the estate had been concluded. This property was subjected to an archeological survey in 1999 prior to the subdivision's construction; no evidence of a cemetery was discovered at that time. In order to eliminate the negative impacts of what is essentially abandoned property on the Forest Ridge Subdivision, the City fenced and has maintained the 441 Basking Ridge Ct. property for several years. Staffs conclusion is that this parcel, where the Hallowed Ground monument is presently located, is the unprobated property of the heirs of Lena D. Brannon and that it most likely was never a cemetery. With regard to the location of the new historic marker, there has been general agreement for it to be located in Lakefront Park. Such a location is better suited for public discovery and gatherings than the site at 441 Basking Ridge Ct. Given that the November 1920 event occurred in several locations, many of which are presently unknown, over a period of time, and the 441 Basking Ridge Ct. property appears to have no particular historic significance, a prominent public location seems to be more appropriate. Issue: Should the City Commission approve the language for a proposed historic marker, establish a location for that marker to be installed, and resolve the status of property at 441 Basking Ridge Ct.? Recommendation: Staff makes the following recommendations: (1) Authorize staff to submit an application for a Florida Historic Marker recognizing the November 1920 Election Day Massacre; (2) Approve or revise the proposed language for a Florida Historic Marker; (3) Endorse the finding that the property at 441 Basking Ridge Ct. was not the site of an historic African-American cemetery; (4) Authorize staff to include a reflective seating area within Lakefront Park to accommodate the existing Hallowed Ground monument and future Florida Historic Marker; and (5) Authorize up to $15,000 in funds from the capital construction of improvements to Lakefront Park (any phase) to be used for the purpose of implementing the above recommendations. Attachments: • Information about the Florida Historic Marker program. • Original historic marker language approved by the HRDB in November 2017. • Revised language developed by staff to fit within the 1,235-character limit imposed by the Florida Historic Marker program. Financial Impact: Relocating the existing monument and manufacturing the new historic marker are expected to cost less than $5,000. Construction of a seating area and monument site in Lakefront Park is expected to cost around $10,000. Type of Item: (please mark with an "x") Public Hearing For Clerk's Dept Use: Ordinance First Reading Consent Agenda Ordinance Second Reading Public Hearing Resolution X Regular Agenda Commission Approval X Discussion&Direction Original Document/Contract Attached for Execution by City Clerk Original Document/Contract Held by Department for Execution Reviewed by City Attorney N/A Reviewed by Finance Dept. 1 N/A Reviewed by 0 N/A Historical Markers-Division of Historical Resources-Florida Dep... https://dos.myflorida.com/historical/preservation/historical-markers/ 1IOR11)11)! 1'11RT\1C\Tf �T:1TL Para espanol, seleccione de la lista ISelect Language Powered by Google Translate cf.' Department of State / Division of Historical Resources / Preservation / Historical Markers Historical Markers OVERVIEW OF THE FLORIDA HISTORICAL MARKER PROGRAM Program Overview The Florida Historical Marker Program is one of the Division of Historical ORResources' most popular and visible LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL " public history programs. It is designed to raise public awareness of Florida's r.:•..,:4 -,;. ,; ,,,, rich cultural history and to enhance the .w _ -- enjoyment of our historic sites by 4. et citizens and tourists. These markers allow us to tell the stories of the places1 and people who created the Florida that we all enjoy today, by identifying the churches, schools, archaeological sites, battlefields and homes that represent our past. Upcoming Meetings The Florida Historic Marker Council (/historical/preservation/historical-markers/state- historical-marker-council/) meets regularly throughout the year to review received 1 of 3 3/21/2019,2:26 PM Historical Markers-Division of Historical Resources-Florida Dep... https://dos.myflorida.com/historical/preservation/historical-markers/ Historical Marker Applications. Next Marker Council Meeting Deadline for Applications May 23, 2019 April 15, 2019 Applications are welcome at any time, but applications received after the deadline will be reviewed at the subsequent council meeting. Contact Information Michael Hart State Historical Marker Coordinator 850.245.6371 or 1.800.847.7278 michael.hart@dos.myflorida.com (mailto:michael.hart@DOS.MyFlorida.com) Department of State Division of Historical Resources Bureau of Historic Preservation R.A. Gray Building 500 South Bronough Street, Room 416 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0250 Office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday Ron DeSantis, Governor Laurel M. Lee, Secretary of State Under Florida law,e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not • want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request,do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead,contact this office by phone or in writing. Copyright(/copyright/)©2019 State of Florida,Florida Department of State. Florida Department of State Phone: 850.245.6500 2 of 3 3/21/2019,2:26 PM Ocoee Historical Marker Wording Discussed and Reviewed at the Human Relations Diversity Board Meeting on November 2, 2017 (SIDE 1) Ocoee Election Day Massacre November 02, 1920 In 1920, black residents in the Ocoee area owned land and businesses and were eager to vote. Despite a terrorizing Ku Klux Klan march through the Orlando streets on October 30, 1920, Mose Norman and other African Americans attempted to vote. They were turned away. After seeking advice from Orlando Judge John Cheney, Norman again attempted to vote. Armed whites stationed at the polls immediately assaulted him. Reportedly he fled to the home of his friend and business comrade, July Perry. A mob, seeking to capture Perry and Norman, surrounded and attacked Perry's home. Perry suffered a severe wound during the raid and was arrested and jailed. The next morning, November 3, 1920, a lynch mob took Perry from his cell, beat him severely, and hanged him at the entrance of the Orlando Country Club. His lifeless body was shot repeatedly. Mobs of white men from surrounding cities traveled to the northern quarters of Ocoee to join local white citizens in torching the homes and businesses of black residents. For two days the mob burned 25 black homes, two black churches, and a masonic lodge. Reports of black residents killed in the violence range from six to over 30 casualties. Survivors fled, never to return; the black community of Ocoee was forced out. Decades later, people of all races in Ocoee come together to acknowledge this hateful history in hope of a better future. The Equal Justice Initiative 2018 (SIDE 2) RACIAL VIOLENCE IN AMERICA Thousands of black people were the victims of lynching and racial violence in the United States between 1877 and 1850. The lynching of African Americans during this era was a form of racial terrorism intended to intimidate black people and enforce racial hierarchy and segregation. Lynching was most prevalent in the South. After the Civil war, there was violent resistance to equal rights for African Americans and an ideology of white supremacy led to violent abuse of racial minorities and decades of political, social, and economic exploitation. Lynching became the most public and notorious form of terror and subordination. White mobs were usually permitted to engage in racial terror and brutal violence with impunity. Many black people were pulled out of jails or given over to mobs by law enforcement officials who were legally required to protect them. Terror lynchings often included burnings and mutilation, sometimes in front of crowds numbering in the thousands. Many of the names of lynching victims were not recorded and will never be known, but over 300 documented lynchings took place in Florida alone. Orange County had thirty-three documented lynchings—the highest of all counties in the state. The Equal Justice Initiative 2018 LANGUAGE EDITED BY STAFF TO FIT WITHIN THE 1,235-CHARACTER LIMIT Side 1 THE ELECTION DAY MASSACRE Mose Norman and other African-Americans attempted to vote in the Ocoee precinct on November 2, 1920. Initially turned away, Norman again attempted to vote, but was assaulted. Reportedly, he fled to the home of his friend and business associate July Perry. A mob,seeking to capture Perry and Norman, surrounded and attacked Perry's home. In the ensuing gunfire,two members of the mob were killed and Perry suffered a severe wound. Perry was arrested and jailed.The next morning,a lynch mob took Perry from his cell, beat him severely, and hanged him at the entrance to the Orlando Country Club. Mobs of white men from surrounding cities joined local white citizens to torch the homes and businesses of African-Americans. For two days,the mob burned 25 homes,two churches, and a masonic lodge. Residents were killed as they fled the burning buildings or died in the fires. Reports of African-American deaths from the violence ranged from six to over 30. Survivors fled, never to return. It was more than 60 years before an African-American again moved to Ocoee. Decades after the massacre, people of all races come together in Ocoee to acknowledge this hateful history in hope of creating a better future. Side 2 RACIAL VIOLENCE IN AMERICA Thousands of people from different minorities were the victims of lynching and racial violence in the United States between 1877 and 1968. A lynching is any extra-legal execution, often in reaction to a perceived provocation.After the Civil war,there was violent resistance to equal rights for African- Americans.An ideology of white supremacy led to violent abuse of racial minorities and decades of political,social, and economic exploitation.The lynching of African-Americans was a form of racial terrorism intended to intimidate and enforce racial hierarchy and segregation. White mobs were usually permitted to engage in racial terror and brutal violence with impunity. Many lynching victims were pulled out of jails or given over to mobs by law enforcement officials who were legally required to protect them. Lynchings often included burnings and mutilation, sometimes in front of crowds numbering in the thousands. Many of the names of lynching victims were not recorded and will never be known, but documents show that over 300 persons were lynched in Florida alone.The mass lynching of November 1920 in West Orange County was the Nation's largest related to voting rights.