Florida has a long and complex history of slavery, with plantations being established as early as the 16th century. According to Evan Bennett, Associate Professor of History at Florida Atlantic University, these plantations occupied much of South Florida. During Reconstruction, Jim Crow laws were introduced to enforce racial segregation in the apartheid state, while the Ku Klux Klan openly paraded through the streets of major cities in Florida. The initial advertising for housing in the city of Plantation was focused on moving away from people of color found in places like Fort Lauderdale and Miami, thus establishing itself as a segregated community. Entire families left Florida's shores in the dark of night, following the stars and starting a new life in the Caribbean.
Plantation Mayor Lynn Stoner didn't respond to requests for comment this week, but Dharyl Auguste, a resident of Plantation, said he feels he has an ally in Councilmember Denise Horland. From the arrival of enslaved Africans in 1526 to the massacre of black voters on election day 1920, here are a few moments from Florida's black history that you didn't learn in school. Black slaves became the predominant labor force on cotton and sugar plantations that sprung up across the Sunshine State. This system is remembered by the names of cities like Plantation. They sailed through the swamps with the help of the Seminoles, who were interested in preventing the British invasion of Florida. Segregation in the South would have been interrupted by black political participation, so the Florida KKK led a campaign of terror against whites that included numerous assassinations across the state.
When western Broward County was created in 1953, it was promoted as an idyllic haven from Fort Lauderdale and Miami. However, recent events have inspired Dharyl Auguste to start engaging in conversations about his own city and Broward County. At the end of the 17th century, Spanish authorities informally disseminated that blacks who escaped from British plantations could live freely in St. Augustine. Did any plantations in Broward County participate in this Underground Railroad?The answer is yes.
While there is no definitive evidence that any specific plantation was involved with helping slaves escape to freedom, there is evidence that some plantation owners were sympathetic to their plight. For example, one plantation owner was known to have provided food and shelter to runaway slaves on their journey northward. Additionally, some plantation owners were known to have provided false papers or other documents that could help slaves pass through checkpoints without being detected. The Underground Railroad was an important part of American history and it is important to remember that it was not just limited to northern states. Plantations throughout Florida played an important role in helping slaves escape to freedom and it is important to recognize their contribution.
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