BLACK RAILROADERS BEING APPLAUDED IN SOUTH FLORIDA WEEKEND
The proverbial spotlight is being shined on an unheralded segment of African-American and in fact American history. Under the watchful and respectful care of the recently formed national Black Railroader’s Historical Society, Black Railroaders are finally getting some recognition. The society has made its mission putting history on the right track and they are doing so with the First Annual Black Railroaders’ Reunion and Juneteenth Jubilee. The reunion and jubilee are scheduled for the weekend of June 18th and 19th, in Richmond Heights, Florida on the grounds of the Gold Coast Railroad Museum.
The museum is home to an actual refurbished Jim Crow rail car and is currently housing an amazing exhibit of Black railroad memorabilia compiled by Artist/Author Alan Laird. Femi Folami Browne, one of the founding member of the society along with Mr. Laird says, “There is no recollection of the history of the railroad system in the United States without the recollection of the contributions of African-Americans in it – or at least there should not be.” The society is partnering with other organizations to make the weekend a historical and festive success including the A. Philip Randolph Institute Miami-Dade Chapter.
APRI Chapter President Lovette McGill said it is important the national community, especially those with ties to Black railroaders whether porters, maids, mechanics or other others, to attend this event. “It is so important for all Black history to be recognized. Many people in have forgotten or don’t know the history of Blacks on railroads. Many in Miami, and probably other places, don’t remember that many people worked on the trains that ran through Miami; and not just Amtrak but others. We have forgotten the history that blacks helped build from laying tracks to repairing trains.”
The weekend begins with an installation breakfast Saturday morning, June 18, 2011, hosted by Miami Dade Commission Chairman Dennis Moss at the Biscayne Bay Marriot. The breakfast will be capped with a lecture on the Black influence on American railroad history by Author Theodore Kornweibel. Next the community is invited to see railroad history through various trains and an art exhibit chronicling Black railroad history pre-Word War 1. From there the celebration moves to a gala dinner that evening also at the Biscayne Bay Marriot in collaboration with the Miami-Dade chapter of the A. Phillip Randolph Institute. The event will feature the recognition of NBRSH inductees. Notables expected to attend the events include former Pullman Porter Sollie Mitchell (who will celebrate his 96th birthday as part of the celebration), Community Activist Georgia Ayers (whose family was displaced as part of the Colored Railroad Shop Families), Pamela Beckham and Alice Winston (who were part of the first all Black-female conducting and engineering crew with Amtrak) and Carlyle Smith (the Obama Campaign Train conductor).
The weekend additionally includes a two day celebration at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum (at the entry gate just before Zoo Miami). The celebration on Saturday (11am – 4pm) and Sunday (11am – 2pm) will feature area artists, train rides, exhibit tours and the opportunity to hear presentations by some of the notables in railroad history. The event will close out Sunday afternoon (1pm) with a wine tasting by South Miami native Author Gwenda Kenon. Kenon will discuss her soon-to-be-released book WINES AND COLLARD GREENS, and the wine tasting. The tasting will feature a sampling of collard greens.
Visual artists and other vendors still have the opportunity to participate in the commemorative weekend. Details and applications for all processes are available at www.blackrailroaderssociety.weebly.com.
The proverbial spotlight is being shined on an unheralded segment of African-American and in fact American history. Under the watchful and respectful care of the recently formed national Black Railroader’s Historical Society, Black Railroaders are finally getting some recognition. The society has made its mission putting history on the right track and they are doing so with the First Annual Black Railroaders’ Reunion and Juneteenth Jubilee. The reunion and jubilee are scheduled for the weekend of June 18th and 19th, in Richmond Heights, Florida on the grounds of the Gold Coast Railroad Museum.
The museum is home to an actual refurbished Jim Crow rail car and is currently housing an amazing exhibit of Black railroad memorabilia compiled by Artist/Author Alan Laird. Femi Folami Browne, one of the founding member of the society along with Mr. Laird says, “There is no recollection of the history of the railroad system in the United States without the recollection of the contributions of African-Americans in it – or at least there should not be.” The society is partnering with other organizations to make the weekend a historical and festive success including the A. Philip Randolph Institute Miami-Dade Chapter.
APRI Chapter President Lovette McGill said it is important the national community, especially those with ties to Black railroaders whether porters, maids, mechanics or other others, to attend this event. “It is so important for all Black history to be recognized. Many people in have forgotten or don’t know the history of Blacks on railroads. Many in Miami, and probably other places, don’t remember that many people worked on the trains that ran through Miami; and not just Amtrak but others. We have forgotten the history that blacks helped build from laying tracks to repairing trains.”
The weekend begins with an installation breakfast Saturday morning, June 18, 2011, hosted by Miami Dade Commission Chairman Dennis Moss at the Biscayne Bay Marriot. The breakfast will be capped with a lecture on the Black influence on American railroad history by Author Theodore Kornweibel. Next the community is invited to see railroad history through various trains and an art exhibit chronicling Black railroad history pre-Word War 1. From there the celebration moves to a gala dinner that evening also at the Biscayne Bay Marriot in collaboration with the Miami-Dade chapter of the A. Phillip Randolph Institute. The event will feature the recognition of NBRSH inductees. Notables expected to attend the events include former Pullman Porter Sollie Mitchell (who will celebrate his 96th birthday as part of the celebration), Community Activist Georgia Ayers (whose family was displaced as part of the Colored Railroad Shop Families), Pamela Beckham and Alice Winston (who were part of the first all Black-female conducting and engineering crew with Amtrak) and Carlyle Smith (the Obama Campaign Train conductor).
The weekend additionally includes a two day celebration at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum (at the entry gate just before Zoo Miami). The celebration on Saturday (11am – 4pm) and Sunday (11am – 2pm) will feature area artists, train rides, exhibit tours and the opportunity to hear presentations by some of the notables in railroad history. The event will close out Sunday afternoon (1pm) with a wine tasting by South Miami native Author Gwenda Kenon. Kenon will discuss her soon-to-be-released book WINES AND COLLARD GREENS, and the wine tasting. The tasting will feature a sampling of collard greens.
Visual artists and other vendors still have the opportunity to participate in the commemorative weekend. Details and applications for all processes are available at www.blackrailroaderssociety.weebly.com.
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT - GENERAL INFORMATION/INVITE
They toiled tirelessly. The metal in their hands striking metal on the ground; driving into history, the infrastructure to carry America’s railroad passengers. Welding and molding engines, tracks, parts –building the railroad industry in America. There is no recollection of the history of the railroad system in the United States without the recollection of the contributions of African-Americans in it – or at least there should not be. You are invited to participate in the First Annual Black Railroaders Reunion and Jubilee weekend, June 18 – 19, 2011 in Miami, Florida. A weekend full of festive events, historical presentations, jubilee filled worship services and so much more. Want to know how you can participate? Visit our website: www.blackrailroaderssociety.weebly.com or call 877-207-2442.
They toiled tirelessly. The metal in their hands striking metal on the ground; driving into history, the infrastructure to carry America’s railroad passengers. Welding and molding engines, tracks, parts –building the railroad industry in America. There is no recollection of the history of the railroad system in the United States without the recollection of the contributions of African-Americans in it – or at least there should not be. You are invited to participate in the First Annual Black Railroaders Reunion and Jubilee weekend, June 18 – 19, 2011 in Miami, Florida. A weekend full of festive events, historical presentations, jubilee filled worship services and so much more. Want to know how you can participate? Visit our website: www.blackrailroaderssociety.weebly.com or call 877-207-2442.
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT - ARE YOU PART OF THIS UNIQUE SEGMENT OF BLACK HISTORY
Was your great grandfather a Pullman Porter? Do you remember being a part of an amazing or historical railroad event? Was your family one of the first to board trains leaving the south for the new freedom of the north? Blacks in America are an intricate part of railroad history. Help the National Black Railroaders’ Historical Society celebrate the contributions of Blacks to the nation’s railway. We’d like you to join us in Miami, Florida June 18 -19, for the First Annual Black Railroaders Reunion and Jubilee, and become part of the written and oral history of black railroaders. All of the information is available at www.blackrailroaderssociety.weebly.com:, also find us on Facebook at 1st Annual Black Railroaders Reunion and Jubilee. We’ll see you in South Florida this summer.
Was your great grandfather a Pullman Porter? Do you remember being a part of an amazing or historical railroad event? Was your family one of the first to board trains leaving the south for the new freedom of the north? Blacks in America are an intricate part of railroad history. Help the National Black Railroaders’ Historical Society celebrate the contributions of Blacks to the nation’s railway. We’d like you to join us in Miami, Florida June 18 -19, for the First Annual Black Railroaders Reunion and Jubilee, and become part of the written and oral history of black railroaders. All of the information is available at www.blackrailroaderssociety.weebly.com:, also find us on Facebook at 1st Annual Black Railroaders Reunion and Jubilee. We’ll see you in South Florida this summer.
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT - EVENT SPECIFIC
Music, visual artist displays, actual artifacts of Black railroad history, a sunrise commemoration of Black liberation, images and voices of the Black railroaders. It’s the First Annual black Railroaders Reunion and Jubilee in South Miami, Fl, June 18 – 19, 2011. Join us as celebrate and recognize the historical significance of Black Railroaders from across the country while commemorating Juneteenth. You don’t want to miss this amazing educational and entertaining weekend featuring a gala banquet, worship amongst railroad memorabilia, collecting oral history and of course family fun. Make your plans to attend now, get all the details at www.blackrailroaderssociety.weebly.com and join us on Facebook at 1st Annual Black Railroaders Reunion and Jubilee.
Music, visual artist displays, actual artifacts of Black railroad history, a sunrise commemoration of Black liberation, images and voices of the Black railroaders. It’s the First Annual black Railroaders Reunion and Jubilee in South Miami, Fl, June 18 – 19, 2011. Join us as celebrate and recognize the historical significance of Black Railroaders from across the country while commemorating Juneteenth. You don’t want to miss this amazing educational and entertaining weekend featuring a gala banquet, worship amongst railroad memorabilia, collecting oral history and of course family fun. Make your plans to attend now, get all the details at www.blackrailroaderssociety.weebly.com and join us on Facebook at 1st Annual Black Railroaders Reunion and Jubilee.
