Jan. 5, 1923, Rosewood, Florida was destroyed on this day
based on the accusation of a white woman that a Black man had assaulted her.
The small town was home to about 20 Black families before a mob of White men
decided they were shielding a criminal.
Rosewood was in central Florida not far from the city of
Gainesville where there had been a KKK rally on New Year’s. There also had been
accusations that the people of Rosewood had somehow been involved in the murder
of a White school teacher from the town of Perry. After the woman, Fannie
Taylor reported that she had been raped a group of 30 White men took off for
Rosewood looking for Jesse Hunter who Sheriff Elias Ramsay had pinpointed as a prime suspect because he was an escapee of a regional chain gang, Taylor had not
identified as her rapist. First, the mob found a local man named Sam Carter who
was believed to be an associate of Hunter, when he would not lead them to Hunter,
they shot him to death. The mob then focused on the home of Sylvester Carrier
because they had already arrested Aaron Carrier. Riding up to the home they
shot the family dog and when the elderly Sarah came out to see who was shooting,
they killed her, a gunfight ensued and two White men in the mob were killed.
The mob retreated and returned the next morning with 200 members who set about
burning the settlement to the ground starting with the Carrier home, Sylvester
Carrier and others in the home had escaped into the swamp overnight.
As the larger mob began moving into the town the general store
owner sheltered some Blacks in the back of his store while most residents fled
into the swamp. As they tried to run away many Blacks were shot and left where
they fell or were dumped into the burning buildings. The local train operators, John
and William Bryce, also assisted in the evacuation stopping when they could to
help survivors escape to Gainesville. Although the governor was contacted about
the violence local law enforcement assured him they had the situation under
control. As it was by the 7th because all residents were dead or fled the area.
At the end of the violence, only Wright’s general store and one home remained
standing.
On February 17th a grand jury came to no conclusions and
reject any indictments, prosecutor George Decottes stated that witnesses had
not presented a strong enough case.
While the local and national newspapers reported on the
incident most underplayed it as the normal day-to-day business of the Jim Crow
south. Formal reports were of only 6 blacks killed and two Whites.
Many focused their stories on reports of, “Armed negroes
barricaded in houses or patrolling the outskirts” in an apparent attempt to
validate the violence. The story of the violence quickly disappeared with the
only mention as the year went on for pianos made of rosewood. Survivors didn’t
share their stories even with family.
In 1982 St, Petersburg Times reporter Gary Moore did a series
of articles based on the old stories but with Black survivors who were more
forthcoming. This in turn led to deeper historical research and a reparations bill
to pass the Florida legislature providing $150,000 to the nine known survivors.
Photos: University of Florida Archives
Sources:
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/rosewood-massacre-1923/
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/03/rosewood-florida-massacre-racial-violence-reparations
https://www.newspapers.com/image/8338810/?terms=Rosewood&match=9
https://www.newspapers.com/image/612443065/?terms=%22Sam%20Carter%22&match=1
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