Enid Pinckney – Overtown History

Partial Transcript: Enid Pinckney introduces herself as the founding President and CEO of the historic Hampton House Community Trust. The trust is trying to restore the Hampton House, which was a motel during the days of segregation. It is one of the last of the black hotels in Miami. Her group persuaded the county to buy the building and is working to get the community behind the preservation effort. She is also working as part of the African American Committee of Dade Heritage Trust which works to preserve disappearing black neighborhoods in the Miami area.

Keywords: Hampton House motel

Subjects: Introduction of Enid Pinckney

Partial Transcript: Enid discusses her family history as a first-generation American. She was born in the Overtown area of Miami; her mother was from the Bahamas and her father was from Catalan. She graduated high school in 1949. She describes the community of schools, churches, and families. There was a great feeling of community among the families.

Keywords: first generation American

Subjects: sense of community

Partial Transcript: There was a rich culture and heritage, much of it centered around the church. There were also nightclubs where well-known artists and entertainers performed. There was an area known as Little Broadway. Some beach areas were for “colored only” designated as such to keep beaches segregated.

Keywords: little Broadway; segregated beaches; Nightclubs

Subjects: Culture of Overtown

Partial Transcript: At the time there was not much overt anger at the segregation as they had their sphere of neighborhood and businesses. There was some political movement to get people registered to vote. A white Unitarian reverend was involved in that movement.

Keywords: Voter registration

Subjects: The community was not overtly angered at the time by the segregation.

Partial Transcript: Outstanding speakers were brought to various churches and to the high schools where they had schools compete for the best attendance. Speakers such as Mary McLeod Bethune the political scientist Joseph Boyd, and Dr. Benjamin Mays, the president of Morehouse College. One of the things that I remember was there was a Florida chain of missions. They brought missionaries to Miami from all over the world; a teacher wanted the students to attend the Miami Women’s Club for one of the events. The black students were told they could attend but they could not eat there. The students walked to the event, walked back to school for lunch, then returned on foot for the afternoon session. That is how the students could have this rich experience of hearing the speakers that white students could hear more easily.

Keywords: Benjamin May; Boyd; segregation of students at meals; Bethune

Subjects: Opportunities to hear well-known speakers

Partial Transcript: Enid did not consider the Overtown community as a poor one. She felt like they had all they needed.
They were brought up to believe that poverty is of the spirit. The family felt like they had to work to support themselves. She says they viewed themselves as well-off since they had all they needed to eat and the clothes they wanted. They thought the way to improve themselves was through education.
In fact, we thought we were rich.

Keywords: Necessities

Subjects: Feelings of wealth, not poverty

Partial Transcript: Enid received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Talladega College and then went to Chicago.
She worked as a group worker, before returning to Miami to teach at high schools; she became an assistant principal at South Miami Middle School for 20 years.

Keywords: Miami school; Talladega

Subjects: Enid’s work history

Partial Transcript: Things changed when the government came up with the idea of urban renewal and the expressway came through the neighborhood. It cut through the community. Houses and churches were demolished or moved. It uprooted the community.
The community changed as new people came in and others left. Some of the heritage and culture were disrupted or disappeared. New people did not have a feeling or respect for the heritage that members of the community used to have. Culture and heritage had less continuation for the new people. People moved into more suburban areas. Housing developments were built.

Keywords: expressway; Urban Renewal

Subjects: Change in Overtown as highways cut through the neighborhood and community members were dispersed.

Partial Transcript: Enid would have liked to have seen the history of the Overtown area preserved and the members of the community staying in the area. Land was taken away from people and she would like to see that land returned to these landowners. Gentrification is taking more land away from members of the community now. Living in the area is getting more expensive and people who live there now will not be able to afford to stay. Rapid development is not respecting the history and heritage and the culture and the preservation of the area.

Keywords: gentrification

Subjects: Change in Overtown with development and gentrification

Partial Transcript: They claim they will build affordable housing, but Enid is not sure who can afford it.
Enid thinks people are tired of struggling to maintain their communities; she feels people feel powerless, beaten down, and unworthy as they struggle against people with more power and money.

Keywords: powerless

Subjects: Frustration of people to fight for community.

Partial Transcript: Enid says she will continue to fight and that helps her maintain hope. She encourages others to
believe in themselves, believe in their heritage, believe in their culture, and believe in their history strongly enough to stand up and demand respect. Enid believes it will take energy to stand up to developers and to City Hall so that the community does not lose hope.

Keywords: Hope

Subjects: How to have hope for community.

Partial Transcript: Enid Pinckney states that it is important to maintain and teach the history of Overtown because Overtown is the root of Miami, and it is important to maintain dignity, heritage, and culture of the area. Miami was incorporated with African Americans. African Americans were a part of the incorporation of the City of Miami, and so they are part of the foundation of this community. She says young people have many opportunities today that were not available to her generation, and they should take advantage of these to create strong communities.

Keywords: African Americans; Overtown

Subjects: maintain and teach the history of Overtown

Partial Transcript: Enid believes young people need to learn the history of the area so they know how important it is to maintain the culture and heritage for future generations. They need to get involved in communities.

Keywords: African American community

Subjects: young people need to learn history of Overtown

Partial Transcript: Enid shares family photos

Keywords: overtown; Family photos

Subjects: Family photos and pictures of Overtown