Marvin Dunn on Overtown History

Partial Transcript: Marvin introduces himself and gives a brief background. He is a professor of Psychology at Florida International University

Keywords: Florida International University; Professor Marvin Dunn

Subjects: Marvin Dunn

Partial Transcript: Marvin talks about his personal connection to Overtown. His family moved into Overtown in 1951 for 2 – 3 months. The family then moved on to Opalocka Florida. By 1980 in the aftermath of the riots he wanted to work in Overtown. He has been involved in the community, particularly the community gardens.

Keywords: 1980 riots; Opalocka Florida; community gardens; Overtown

Subjects: Marvin’s connection to Overtown

Partial Transcript: Marvin talks about the force that created Overtown. It was the railroad that helped settle Miami. The Northwest quadrant of the city was set aside for the railroad workers. Overtown developed as a very crowded community. It was totally segregated and heavily patrolled by white police. While it was highly repressed it was a cultural center for black Miami. There was entertainment, and the oldest churches. Some of the black residents became rich because of segregation.

Keywords: Northwest quadrant; cultural center for black Miami; railroad workers; segregation; railroad

Subjects: The force that created Overtown

Partial Transcript: Marvin talks about where the residents came from. About 40% were from the Bahamas, 60% from Georgia, central and north Florida. Weather conditions caused them to come south. People came by word of mouth. The railroad brought in jobs. Jobs were plentiful.

Keywords: Georgia; North Florida; central Florida; Bahamas

Partial Transcript: Marvin discussed the business and cultural life of Overtown. There were 7 newspapers, there were millionaires, and D.A. Dorsey was the first black millionaire. Marvin explains how Dorsey became wealthy. The best nightclubs around were in Overtown. On the weekends white people came to Overtown for entertainment. Many of them were Jews and many of the nightclubs were owned by Jews.

Keywords: D.A. Dorsey; Jews; millionaires; newspapers; nightclubs; Business and cultural life

Subjects: The business and cultural life in Overtown

Partial Transcript: Marvin talks about the hottest venues in Overtown. There was the Harlem Club, the Zebra lounge in the Mary Elizabeth Hotel. The Dorsey Family owned the hotel. Many of the well-known black entertainers came to these clubs, Diana Washington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, The Ink Spots, Sam and Dave, Little Richard, and the Temptations are a few that performed there. Segregation was still the rule in Miami and it affected the black performers. Many prominent black athletes came to Overtown. Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson, and Sugar Leonard were a few. Marvin talks about Dr. King coming to Miami.

Keywords: Count Basie; Diana Washington; Dorsey family; Dr. King; Ella Fitzgerald; Jackie Robinson; Joe Louis; Little Richard; Mary Elizabeth Hotel; Sam and Dave; Sugar Ray Leonard; The Ink Spots; The Temptations; Zebra Club; black athletes; Harlem Club

Subjects: The hottest places in Miami

Partial Transcript: Marvin talks about the lack of political activity in Overtown. Until 1947/48 blacks could not join the Democratic Party. When blacks were allowed to join the Democratic Party it changed the face of politics. When the city was incorporated in1896 there were 367 men present 162 were black. In order to have enough votes to have the city incorporated there needed to be a minimum number of registered voters. There were not enough white voters so the railroad workers were told to show up and vote.

Keywords: Democratic Party; Republicans; city incorporated; registered voters; Political activity

Subjects: political activity in Miami

Partial Transcript: Marvin talks about segregation in Miami and the effect the railroad had on segregation. The railroad insisted that blacks no longer go in the ocean to swim. D.A. Dorsey, the millionaire, purchased Fisher Island so blacks would have a resort and access to the ocean.

Keywords: D.A. Dorsey; Fisher Island; resort for blacks; ocean

Subjects: Segregation in Miami and the railroad

Partial Transcript: Marvin discusses the efforts to organize and fight the issues. There were none until the 1960s after blacks were allowed to join the Democratic Party. Marvin talks about how some blacks were expected to “deliver the black vote”. Operation Big Vote organized by Charles Hadley, Uncle Charlie, helped to get the black votes delivered.

Keywords: Charles Hadley; Operation Big Vote; Uncle Charlie; black votes; “deliver the vote”

Subjects: Efforts to organize and fight the issues

Partial Transcript: Marvin talks about resistance to oppression by the black people of Overtown. There was no organized response. Mostly it was taken as a fact of life. There were demonstrations in the 1940s. The 1980 race riots were not the first. The black Bahamians in Coconut Grove turned out for any real or perceived injustice.

Keywords: 1980 race riots; Coconut Grove; black Bahamians; 1940s

Subjects: The resistance to oppression of black people.

Partial Transcript: Paul discusses the vibrant culture and poverty. Paul feels some of the best cultures have evolved from poor communities. He explains why he feels the black culture has thrived in Miami despite exploitation and oppression. Suffering can bring out expressions in art and in spirituality

Keywords: Vibrant culture

Subjects: Vibrant culture and poverty.

Partial Transcript: Paul talks about what happened to Overtown. Integration happened. When blacks could spend money and move out of Overtown they did. Paul explains what happened when people started to move out. The other thing that happened was the Interstate system. I-95 ran over Overtown and through Overtown and it displaced many of the residents. Most of the residents in the 1950s were renting in Overtown and they had no choice but to move. There was talk of moving everyone from Overtown to Hialeah Florida. John O. Brown, a local civil rights leader, fought against the move.

Keywords: Hialeah Florida; Interstate; John O. Brown; Integration

Subjects: What happened to Overtown

Partial Transcript: Marvin talks about opposition to the Interstate. There was no organized effort. Blacks were still not empowered to make decisions in the 1950s.

Keywords: empowered

Subjects: Opposition to the Interstate