A Thriving Community Lost
Rosewood, a town in central Florida, thrived as a small Black community in the early 20th century. But in January 1923, it was destroyed in a tragic week of mob violence that left homes burned and lives shattered. With only one house left standing, Rosewood vanished from maps and memory.
A Fateful Incident Sparks Violence
claimed she was attacked by a Black man. Mobs formed and, despite scarce evidence, turned their anger toward Rosewood, killing residents, burning homes, and forcing families to flee. A violent clash at the home of Sarah Carrier, a Black resident, left two white men dead, escalating the brutality.
Rediscovering Rosewood
In 1982, journalist Gary Moore began investigating Rosewood’s erasure from history. Survivors shared testimonies, revealing what had been hidden. In 1994, Florida’s legislature acknowledged the injustice, awarding reparations to survivors and creating scholarships for their descendants.
Rosewood, a town in central Florida, thrived as a small Black community in the early 20th century. But in January 1923, it was destroyed in a tragic week of mob violence that left homes burned and lives shattered. With only one house left standing, Rosewood vanished from maps and… pic.twitter.com/1s7pcgLOXn
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