Subject Area
History
Description
Jacksonville, Florida, is a city that defies most expectations of an American city. Its massive size covers a vast array of people, cultures, and traditions. Jacksonville’s colorful history encompasses stories of success, failure, and control by three different nations. This diversity of people and backgrounds overwhelms Jacksonville’s narrative, leaving stories and memories forgotten. No more groups have been forgotten or overlooked in Jacksonville’s story more than the Black natives and residents. LaVilla, a neighborhood in downtown Jacksonville, is the historically Black community that has been consistently left out of Jacksonville’s story. LaVilla, known as the ‘Harlem of the South’, was a vibrant community home to incredibly influential musicians, entrepreneurs, and Black civil rights activists. LaVilla’s development and subsequent erasure demonstrates the willingness of the American public to ignore the creations of Black citizens and artists. Jacksonville has essentially forgotten LaVilla and her people, discrediting the accomplishments of so many Black innovators. Without LaVilla, there would not be a ‘Black National Anthem’. The development of blues music was enabled by LaVilla’s Black investors and community. Ma Rainey, Blind Blake, J. Rosamond Johnson, and Ray Charles hailed from LaVilla, and their stories and accomplishments have been separated from Jacksonville’s narrative. This paper seeks to rectify this mistake of historical memory. By sharing the successes of Black Jacksonville, Jacksonville’s narrative will be strengthened, rectifying the losses exacerbated by the racist culture that allows Black success to be steamrolled and ignored.
Publisher
Providence College
Academic Year
2021-2022
Date
Spring 2022
Type
Thesis
Format
Text
Language
English
