Little Known Black History Fact: Trayvon Martin and Sanford Florida’s Racist Past
The city of Sanford, Florida will forever go down in history as the place where Trayvon Martin was shot and killed. But the city is also haunted by racist memories of the past, dating back to the early days of Baseball Hall of Famer, Jackie Robinson. After Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was sent to train with their minor league team, the Montreal Royals, in Sanford, Florida. Upon arrival, Robinson was met by an angry white mob and members of the Ku Klux Klan. They refused to let Robinson practice on the field. It was reported that Robinson had to pry himself through a hole in the fence of the baseball field to join the Royals. It was unknown as to whether or not he actually took the field. Later that night, Robinson was forced out of town to avoid serious injury by racist haters.
Sanford, Florida’s nightmare of racial injustice went on for years after the Robinson incident. The story of black civil rights activists Harry and Harriette Moore plagued the community for years. Harry Moore founded the first branch of the NAACP in Sanford, Florida. The teacher was a known advocate for voter registration and the salary disputes of black teachers. Moore’s involvement led to an approximate 31 percent increase of black registered voters in the mid to late 1940’s.
Unfortunately, hatred stirred in the local KKK, which had widespread presence in the city.
On December 25, 1951, the home of Harry and Harriette Moore was firebombed. It was the couples’ wedding anniversary. They died a few days apart.
Even now, decades after Jackie Robinson encountered one of the worst bouts of racism in baseball history and the death of the Moore family, accusations of racist police brutality and wrongful death continue to lie in the courtrooms of Sanford, Florida. The city, which is approximately 30 percent black, continues the investigation of the recent murders of three black men.
more
http://blackamericaweb.com/146023/trayvon-martin-sanford-florida/
Freedom Never Dies: The History of Harry and Harriette Moore
http://www.pbs.org/harrymoore/harry/mbio.html
more
http://blackamericaweb.com/146023/trayvon-martin-sanford-florida/
Before His Time
The Untold Story of Harry T. Moore, America's First Civil Rights Martyr
http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/g/green-time.html
Sanford, Florida Has a History of Brutal Racist Oppression and KKK
http://allthingscrimeblog.com/sanfo...ve-hall-of-famer-jackie-robinson-out-of-town/
The Racist History of Sanford, Florida
http://www.afro.com/sections/news/national/story.htm?storyid=74529
The City of Sanford’s Racist Past
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/04/04/the-city-of-sanford-s-racist-past.html
Racist past haunts Florida town where Trayvon died
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...ivil-rights-black-mistrust-town-hall-meetings
I have no illusions that this brutal history will change the minds of those .. especially white males .. who support the racist Zimmerman decision .. but war is what they've wanted and now they've got it.
This war won't be fought in the streets, but rather at the ballot box and in the court of public opinion.