Be a part of Preserving Our Past for the Future
WHY IT MATTERS
Historic preservation is good for communities, including the benefits of environmental responsibility, embracing the diversity of cultures, tourism, and economic impact. Our efforts help to provide solutions for climate change, affordable housing, and telling a more complete story of who we were, who we are today, and who we want to be in the future.
Together, our work contributes to the unique and special character of Sarasota County beyond the beaches, making it a destination like no other, and a desirable location to visit, live, work and play.
GET INVOLVED
Our success depends on your participation and support of our mission. Together, our voices are strong enough not to be ignored. Join our efforts via letters, emails, events, phone calls and more.
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Pursuing Racial Equality in Florida
Dr. Bruce Stephenson, professor and foremost biographer on the work of City Planner John Nolen, will give a presentation on “The Brotherhood of Man, John Nolen’s Vision for Racial Equality in Florida.”
In his book, Stephenson reveals that Nolen called his southern planning commissions “Missionary Work” because of their importance in establishing areas within each city where African Americans could live. Stephenson was inspired to write this book when confronted by the Southern prejudice depicted in the play, “The Clansman” (the inspiration for the silent film, “Birth of a Nation”). The racist revisionary history of Reconstruction depicted in these productions set the mark that spurred Jim Crow for the next generation.
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During this era in Sarasota, Overtown, an early black community within the city operated separately from the larger community. It was established by the early African American community leader Louis Colson who came to the city in 1884. To accommodate African Americans who traveled to Overtown, local developer Owen Burns built the Colson Hotel at 1425 8th Street in 1926. The community, located on Sarasota’s near north side, became known as the Rosemary District in the 1990s.
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