Latest news with #MarvinDunn
Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Miami erupted in a riot after McDuffie verdict 45 years ago. Why we can't forget
Last Saturday, I sat with Dr. Marvin Dunn and Shanreka Perry under the great big oak tree in front of Florida International University's library. It was a beautiful day — cool breezes chasing away the heat, and leaves rustling softly under drifting clouds. It was on such a day 45 years ago — May 17, 1980 — that Miami erupted in violence when word reached our city that an all-white jury in Tampa acquitted four white Metro Dade police officers in the death of Black insurance agent Arthur McDuffie. McDuffie, 33, a Marine, was beaten into a coma in December 1979 at North Miami Avenue and Northeast 38th Street after he fled cops on his motorcycle and they chased him. He died in the hospital. Somehow, sitting under the big tree seemed appropriate to me. Earlier, Dr. Dunn had explained the significance of sitting under a big tree in the Black community. He told the group that in every Black community there is a tree, where elderly Black men meet to impart their knowledge to a younger generation. His words brought back pictures of old men in my Liberty City neighborhood, sitting under a tree on wooden carts and broken-back chairs playing checkers. I can still hear the scratching sound of bottle caps as they slammed them down on the red-and-black checkerboard, showing off as the younger men watched and listened. Under the tree was where all the neighborhood news was told — the good news about Black accomplishments that never made the Miami Herald and hadn't yet made The Miami Times, the Black-owned newspaper. It was a sacred space where life, and death, was celebrated. So, on this 17th day of May, 45 years after the McDuffie riot, sitting under this great tree with Dr. Marvin Dunn telling our story, seemed the right place to be. I looked out at the people who had gathered to hear our stories. Seeing their faces, I realized how much has changed in Miami over the past 45 years, and yet how much has stayed the same. For while we have grown in many areas, some of the same old problems — bigotry and hatred, to name two — are deeply embedded. And now some people want to destroy our history — our story — and our contributions to this country. This is a threat not only to Blacks, but to all Americans. It's one of the reasons that 'Sitting under the tree with Dr. Dunn' as he teaches and celebrates our history is so important. It was especially so on May 17. Some of us came to remember that day. Some who weren't born in 1980 came to learn the truth. And so there we were, a scattering of young and old, Black and white, sitting peacefully as the story of the McDuffie riot unfolded from the mouths of some of us who were there. I spoke first — the memory of the fateful day still as fresh in my mind as though it had happened yesterday. It was a Saturday afternoon, and I was just finishing up my weekly housecleaning chores when the phone by the kitchen door rang. I ran to answer it, and heard the voice of a classmate, yelling into the phone: 'Bea, the N---- have gone crazy over this thing [the verdict]! They are headed down to the Civic Center to tear up things…' I remembered the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I knew trouble was brewing. This would be a riot like we had never seen before. I told my sons to stay close to home that night. I was right to do so. The violence erupted almost immediately after I got that phone call. One of the first victims was 10-year-old Shanreka Perry. As word of the acquittal reached her neighborhood, and Blacks were starting to take to the streets in protest, Shanreka was oblivious to what was going on around her. She was busy playing softball with some of her playmates. As she played, a car filled with whites — Michael Kulp, 18, his brother Jeffrey, 22, and Debra Getman, 23, unknowingly drove into the developing riot. They were on their way home from a day at the beach. As they drove, their car was attacked and pelted with rocks and bottles, smashing the windshield. The car spun out of control hitting Shanreka, pinning her between the building and the car, and hitting another pedestrian, Albert Nelson, 75. The mob dragged the Kulp brothers out of the car and beat them so severely that Jeffrey died of his wounds on June 12 at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Michael was left with severe injuries. Debra escaped with minor injuries and was hidden by neighbors until she was able to leave via a Black taxi driver. While brave neighbors tried to save Shanreka by pulling her away from the wreckage, pulling freshly washed bed sheets off a clothesline to wrap her mangled leg, they couldn't save her left leg. Shanreka remembered, 'They couldn't get an ambulance to me, but a Magic City Cab (Black-owned) was in the area and that's how they got me to the hospital.' Shanreka, now a retired Miami-Dade corrections officer, is a picture of resilience. She made it with the support of her 'village' — her family and friends, many of whom were with her Saturday under the tree. She said the ordeal never made her want to be treated differently from her siblings or her playmates. And she was never bitter. She thanked the man who helped her through some of her darkest days of recovery, her physical therapist, Curtis Clark, who was present with us under the tree. 'He never gave up on me and wouldn't let me give up,' Shanreka said. 'Throughout my life, he has always been there to support me, not matter what.' Kind of like Dr. Dunn. At 84, he never gives up on telling the truth about our history, which is why he was one of the seven honorees at Mosaic Miami's 2025 Silver Medallion Humanitarian Dinner on May 18. He was presented with the Robert H. Traurig Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in preserving history. The other Silver Medallion honorees were Alan and Vivian Dimond, of Greenberg Traurig and Bayshore Grove Capital, respectively; Richard Milstein, Akerman; Shabbir Motorwala, Coalition of South Florida Muslim Organizations; Madeline Pumariega, president of Miami Dade College; and the Rev. Guillermo Garcia-Tuñón, president of Belen Jesuit Preparatory School.
Miami Herald
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Black History Month events
Here are South Florida events commemorating February's Black History Month Feb. 1: Movie in the Park: Screening of 'Wakanda Forever,' a tribute to the legacy of the Black Panther franchise. Free popcorn available while supplies last. Refreshments sold on-site. Bring a blanket and enjoy; 6 P.M., Altos Del Mar Park, 241 77th St., Miami Beach. Free. Feb. 1: Art & Soul: Celebrate the 12th anniversary of the social and fundraising event supporting the Fund for Black Art with an evening of art, cocktails, music and dancing under the stars; 6 p.m.-midnight; Pérez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; tickets start at $200. Feb. 1: An Evening with Dr. Marvin Dunn: Explore the history and legacy of the Rosewood Massacre of 1923 through an insightful lecture and exhibit; 5:30-6:30 p.m., Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables. Free. Feb. 1: Stories of Resistance from Black Miami's Sip of History: Panel discussion focuses on the enduring struggle, resilience and resistance of Black communities in Miami in response to racial injustice. Features Miami-Dade County Commissioner Marleine Bastien; historian Lonnie Lawrence, and Dr. Adora Obi Nweze, president of the Florida State Conference NAACP, sharing their stories of the significant contributions of Black Miamians to social justice movements; 2-4 p.m., HistoryMiami Museum, South Building, 101 W. Flagler St., Miami. $5 members, $15 non-members. Feb. 5: Jazz Men: An Evening of Music and Conversation with author Larry Tyre and special performance by Young Musicians Unite Jazz Ensemble; 7:30-9 p.m., Miami Beach JCC, 4221 Pine Tree Dr., Miami Beach. Free. Feb. 5: Awkward Dinner: Exploring Caribbean Legacy and Identity: Through food and guided dialogue, participants explore topics relevant to MOCA's exhibition by Andrea Chung and themes specific to the South Florida environment. Limited-capacity event; 6-9 p.m., MOCA Paradise Courtyard, 770 NE 125th St., North Miami. $55-$91. Feb. 7: Black History Night Celebration: The Black Affairs Advisory Committee presents the 2025 Community Award to Olympian Twanisha 'TeeTee' Terry. Also features cultural performances by after-school participants, music, rides, food and crafts; 6-9 p.m., North Shore Park Youth Center, 501 72nd St., Miami Beach. Free. Feb. 7: Kilombo: Exhibition of large-scale documentary photographs, a tribute to the resilience and vitality of the African legacy in Brazil, represents the work of Maria Daniel Balcazar, a prize-winning documentary photographer and visual anthropologist; 7:15 p.m., Lummus Park, The Betsy South Beach, 1433 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. Free. Feb. 8: Soul Vegan & Seafood Festival: The ninth annual event celebrates Black History Month through the lens of food, drink, health, sustainability and fun on the sands of Miami Beach; 1-6:30 p.m., Lummus Park, Ocean Drive between Sixth and Seventh streets. Free. Feb. 13: 'Never Drop the Ball:' Screening of the documentary that chronicles the remarkable journey of Black baseball players who helped transform the sport from a segregated pastime into a global phenomenon. A panel discussion follows with Dr. Dorothy Jenkins Fields, baseball historian Abel Sanchez. Moderated by Tom Hudson of WLRN News; 6:30 p.m., SoundScape Park, 1670 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. Free. Feb. 16: Dranoff 2 Piano Fusion: Presenting West African Beats: One Song, a musical journey through the African diaspora curated by violinist/vocalist Nicole Yarling; 4 p.m., Miami Beach Bandshell, 7275 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. $37-$53. Feb. 18: Heritage Fest: Performances by local artists, sample delicious food from various vendors and jam to beats pumping onto the dance floor; 3 p.m., Adrienne Arsht Center, Thomson Plaza for the Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Free. 305-949-6722. Feb. 19: Time and Place: Multitudes of Black Experience in Miami: Panel discussion delves into the history and cultural significance of Black Miami, inspired by the work of artist Kabuya Pamela Bowens-Saffo; 6:30-8 p.m., Miami-Dade College's Padrón Campus, 627 SW 27th Ave., Room 201, Miami. Free. 305-237-7700. Feb. 20: Hued Songs: Building belonging, empathy and community for all, Hued Songs weaves and performs a tapestry of song and spoken word by an all-women cast, centering on female resistance, freedom and liberation of self; 6-9 p.m., The Bass Museum, 2100 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. Free. Feb. 20: Shattered Structures: Looking Back 15 Years to the Earthquake in Haiti: The exhibition focuses on Haiti's architectural legacy and its fragility as documented in photographs of buildings taken following the 2010 earthquake; 6- 8 p.m., FIU-Miami Beach Urban Studios, 420 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach. Free. Feb. 22: Cuban Folk Dance Traditions - Exploring African Roots: Learn dance steps used in various music genres of Cuba such as Rumba, Salsa and Afro-Cuban folk, while exploring their African roots and cultural significance, with Marisol Blanco, master dancer and artist-in-residence; 2 p.m., HistoryMiami Museum, South Building, 101 W. Flagler St., Miami. Free. Feb. 27: Botanical Garden Groove: A night of music, art and culture, featuring live sets from PAPERWATER, DJ Duality, Pressure Point and DJ Dluxe, showcasing an eclectic mix of footwork, Baltimore house, jungle and juke. Also includes creative activities; 6-10 p.m., Miami Beach Botanical Garden, 2000 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach. Free. Feb. 27: Portraits of the Blues: Celebrate the legacy of blues music through live performances and engaging stories that highlight its cultural significance; 12:40-1:55 p.m., Miami-Dade College West Campus, 3800 NW 115th Ave., Doral. Free. March 2: Melton Mustafa Jazz Festival: The 28th annual festival features a tribute to bassist and composer Jaco Pastorius; Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater, 819 NW Second Ave., Miami. $20-$230.
