Rosewood's marker: Half the story, but whose half?
Today I visited Rosewood, Florida, a town with a past so tangled that its historical marker requires two sides to tell it.
That sign is pretty much all there is to tell the story. That’s because Rosewood was erased.
It was torched by racists in 1923. The tale is as convoluted as it is painful, but the short version is that there were once two towns, one mostly white and one black (Rosewood). One day a white person accused a black man of doing something terrible, which happens a lot when scapegoats are required, at which point hundreds of the whites exploded into a bloodthirsty rage. They didn’t just kill people (mostly black, but some whites who tried to stop the slaughter, too), but they hunted them for a week. Rosewood residents had to hide in the woods like animals, only to be cut down when they finally emerged. To finally rid the area of blacks once and for all, the white savages burned Rosewood down.
For a long time, what happened in Rosewood was mostly whispered because no sign or museum in the place itself dared to summon the story. As recently as the ’90s, plans for a monument were shelved because the locals powers disagreed on how much to spend.
Politicians pat themselves on the back
The historical marker was installed only in 2004, despite the fact Hollywood, our most effective national memorializer, had made a movie version in 1997. Most markers in the American South tell the same story on both sides, but Rosewood’s is a cliffhanger. The first half of the story unfolds on the western face (which is odd considering the only civilization in that direction, near the lip of the Gulf of Mexico, is Cedar Key). In it, the dissenting whites are “courageous” while residents of the “predominantly colored” community of Rosewood, apparently not courageous enough to be described that way, hide in the woods.
The flip side consists mostly of a roundabout explanation of why the sign took so long to get there. You see, the sign apologizes, the victims refused to talk about it. Fortunately, and as a matter worthy of casting onto a metal marker, a Democratic governor got the ball rolling. A decade later, a Republican one (a Bush, no less) finally accomplished the mission, and made sure the final line of the long-neglected plaque memorialized the fact.
The saga of why Rosewood was denied its due is nowhere equal to the sorrow and horror of the tale itself, but politicians seem to think so. Their bipartisan collaboration takes more space to relate than the more complicated reasons for the violence, and the retelling of the violence, too, reads as if it was written from the white perspective.
It’s said that most racial disputes are ultimately about money — who’s perceived as taking jobs, who’s perceived as causing crime. In Rosewood, black residents owned their own businesses and their own land, and one of the first things the whites did that week was to loot their property and steal their land. Survivors were too terrorized to ever return.
Rosewood, near the west coast of Florida where the state begins its westward bend toward Alabama, is one of more than three dozen black communities that were eradicated by frenzied whites, but above the others it remains stained. I drove down its unpaved roads. There are a few noticeably modest modern homes there now, buried deep in thicket and protected by barking dogs that, judging by their sensitivity, are clearly unaccustomed to even casual drive-bys. Two homes had American flags hung by their mailboxes (they also took the local paper, too), and I saw one middle-aged woman cutting her side lawn with a mower that didn’t seem to be smeared with human blood. (For a video of the town today, click here.)
I’m sure they’re very nice, normal American people there now, with no festering furies. But given the fact the town’s reputation was stained by simmering anger that suddenly bubbled over, it’s not hard to imagine an unwelcome malevolence in these normal yards. When I heard an unseen dog bark in agitation and saw a U.S. flag hang limp on a windless May afternoon, it was hard not to smell underlying threat in the air in Rosewood.
UPDATE: A year later, I revisited Rosewood, and I shot a video. Click here to watch it.
Shoot in the woods instead, as per the unwritten tradition
Thanks for posting this update! I lived in Tallahassee for ten years and in 2001 I was working for a lobbying group. I was also dating a clam farmer in Cedar Key and when visiting the area, found out from locals that the historical marker that was there before was taken down by “vandals” almost immediately after going up, and that the “sunset law” in the area was still “in effect”. I also found out about how the only black person that lived on Cedar Key died that year and his house was burned down after the funeral! I met with county officials and The Riley House about engaging the community on these issues and having the marker restored, but even The Riley House was cautious about tackling Rosewood. I’m glad to hear that Jeb did the right thing. However, rumor has it that the unmarked, mass graves under some of the homes in Rosewood from the 1923 massacre remain. If this is true, then this remains an open wound for us all.
A historian from Miami, Marvin Dunn, has bought five acres and UF is doing a dig in Rosewood to locate the structures. It is a fasinating site. The sign has been knocked down several times but it will always be replaced. Some of the local families are opposed but some are generous and interested.
Just watched the 1997 movie that in a word was “powerful”. The town of Rosewood, FL was a victim of the senseless racism that existed in the United States back in 1923 which unfortunately still exists almost 90 years later but thankfully not to the extent it once was. Director John Singleton did an excellent job in bringing this bit of history to light and let us never forget what occurred in Rosewood, FL and may it never happen again anywhere.
This sort of thing happened in my home in Virginia (Southampton County). Over 200 innocent blacks were shot, lynched and burned after the Nat Turner insurrection in August of 1831. They were beheaded and their heads were placed on posts along a road that today is named “Blackhead Signpost Rd”… I can’t believe that the state would even let that name slide by. Also, in that county, where the hanging tree was, the road is “Hanging Tree Rd”. Sad!!!
Although of course I know that our country sometimes has a very nasty heritage, it still never fails to shock me when I hear specific things that went on. And to think the street still bears that name! At first that grosses me out, morally speaking, but then, once I think about it, I realize I’m glad Virginia didn’t whitewash (so to speak) the places by changing the names to something innocuous. As sick as it is, streets with names like those can bear witness as long as the signs aren’t changed. Not enough of us remember, but at least we’re given a clue to the past as long as they’re marked on the landscape.
I just wanted to thank you for posting the information on Rosewood. It’s kind of embarrassing for me to say I just watched the documentary today 2/21/12. Better late than never! Your site is awesome. Keep up the excellent work. I plan on visiting the area with my children.
Thank you for saying that. And no, it’s not embarrassing in the least. Just imagine how many people still don’t even know that this, and countless other incidents just like it, happened at all.
Harrison Arkansas has the same past. A whole community of law abiding black Americans were all killed or ran off because of racial prejudice. Only one older black women remained. Sad, sad, sad. Look it up for yourself.
I live about 2 hours south of rosewood, saw the movie again last night. There are still so many flordians that have never even heard of rosewood. I get sick to my stomach every time i see that movie. I was raised by a racist father and grandmother and have dead relatives who were very active in the clan all through central & north florida and alabama from the 1920′s-1960′s . I am not proud of my heritage and the hate i was taught.. I pray they can find those mass graves so we can know the true numbers of those that suffered and may they rest in peace.
Thanks for the comment. If you hear anyone finds any more evidence in Rosewood, I’d love to hear about it.
Several years ago (academic year 1992-1993), I was accepted into Southern Illinois University Law School. Upon my acceptance, I was visited by the Holy Spirit, and began to cry joyously, thanking Jesus. While doing so, the Holy Spirit subsequently told me that I would not succeed, and that God had something planned for me. I found it hard to believe in that it was through prayer that I was accepted into school. Needless to say, I did not succeed. While at the school, Jesus appeared before me as a dark silhouette, with brilliant light all about His presence (3 a.m.). When He spoke to me, my whole body shook at the sound of His voice. Subsequently, He changed my skin-tone to reddish-black, like where the redness from the flame meets the black on an ember of coal; at that time, an angel whispered: This is the color of Jesus. At a later date, I was guided to Rev. 1:15 (it was as if Jesus was turning the pages Himself), where it talks about His feet were like fine brass, as if burned in a furnace – brass is yellow but turns black when burned. Subsequent thereto, He has had me prophesy many things. My first prophesy was that there was going to be an immediate increase in the magnitude of weather and other phenomena. Amongst others, I forwarded the prophesy to Jesse Jackson and Peter Jennings. Within a week of doing so, five hurricanes hit Florida, in immediate succession. As time progressed, God had me prophesy subsequent increases in the magnitude of weather and other phenomena to (amongst others) Rick Sanchez, prior to their occurrence. In that people were not listening, He had me change my prophesy to: There shall be great trials, tribulations, and devastation – like you have never seen; until I am heard to His satisfaction. Since then, many things have happened in which it was said: I have never seen anything like this before. When Bob Riley was governor of Alabama, God had me email him a letter stating: Great storms shall rest upon Alabama – no need for further explication. The night before the tsunami hit Japan, and subsequent tornadoes within the United States, God had me post on my facebook page (www.facebook.com/slimji): Am I seeing great trials, tribulation, and devastation, like I prophesied. On the same day, or day prior, to the recent tornadoes in Alabama (January 2012), God placed a golden eagle, in the city limits of Huntsville, Alabama, for me to see (as being symbolic of my spirit), and had me post: I am seeing more and more unusual things in unusual ways – it is odd to see a tornado in Alabama in January. He is saying that He is tired of racism and violence in the world. He is also saying that He has blessed America abundantly, and that all blessings flow from Him: To whom much is given, much is expected; this includes hearing His servant. However, America does not want to hear. As such, there shall be a great cry! Him that hath an ear, let him hear.
I purchased the video “Rosewood” when it first came out in the late ’90′s and am so appalled by humans treating one another with such contempt and hatred, hopefully lessons learned?
Rosewood is only an hour plus drive for me from Lake City, FL. I’ve visited Rosewood in the mid-90′s and was always curious as to what happened to the land (deeds) that was owned by the citizens of Rosewood … did they sell their land or was it just absorbed back into the county of Levi?
I thank God that my roots are shallow in this country just for that reason. Being only a second/third generation American from Sweden & Finland my soul feels safe that my ancestors had nothing to do with the slavery business in the US. Although I’m sure that history from the the beginning of time may be different. No nation or people of this world is innocent of blood spilling.
… again, most important thing of this post is regarding the land titles of the Rosewood people … both blacks & whites, but mainly the black land owners.
Thank you.
I’m watching the movie “Rosewood” as I write this. It’s on Telefutura. What a heartwrenching movie it is. It makes me wonder how far we’ve come as a nation when a 17 year old young man gets shot just for wearing a hooded sweatshirt and being black in a gated neighborhood.
those people will pay!!!!
No need to get vengeful. The people who did this are all dead now. I know the world isn’t a perfect place, and it never will be, but we can at least take solace in the fact it’s a hell of a lot better now than it was in an age when wiping a town off the map could and did happen over and over.
Rosewood’s story has been partially told. There are many Rosewoods. Have you considered the story of “Black Wall Street”, Greenwood, Kansas?
I’ve been interested in the history of Rosewood since the movie came out years ago. A friend suggested I visit since my family had retired near Ocala. I researched as much as I could and traveled there in 2002 Very interesting, chased by German sheperds on the back roads. I have the video clip on YouTube. I wound up at the Cedar Key Museum and upon inquiring about ‘Rosewood’ the proprietor immediately copped an attitude with me.. I have been obsessed with the history ever since, researching and reading as much as I could. Anyone with any current information please contact me on here.
I’m a Georgia girl and just watched the movie for the first time; never heard of Rosewood before. Looked up info on internet and read everything I could find.
I’m saddened to be part of the human race and it is sickening to know my race has been part of so many evils against other races.
Florida owes the families of Rosewood much more. There should be a museum or something there for historic record on all the families of that community.
“All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing”, the original is in Russian do various translations to English are possible, narrated theme of Sergei Bondarchuk’s Soviet film adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s book “War and Peace”.
I just stayed up to watch “Rosewood” on Bounce TV this morning. I saw it at the movie when it came out in 1997 and was horrified. Yet, as an African-American I was not surprised, having seen “Roots” in 1977. The problem here is that the American government has never taken responsibility for what it allowed to happen to African descendants once they were freed.
At every turn, its white citizenry tried to abolish equal rights for us and keep us from ever becoming full and equal citizens.
When towns like Rosewood were thriving, an excuse would be made to drive successful blacks out of their wealth and heritage.
Our problem, as African Americans, is that we have had to remain with our oppressor instead of being able to flee him. Unlike the Jews who left Germany, we were denied even knowing “where we came from” in order to be able to return there.
When I hear whites (many who didn’t come to America until after the first World War) say that blacks should “go back to Africa” I realize just how delusional these people really are.
First, this monster was created by white America, and second, we have been here for more generations than we can almost count. I, personally, can trace my family back to the early 1800′s- so why wouldn’t I be an American?
The only way that things will ever be right in America, is if blacks in America are financially compensated by the American government. They compensated the Native Americans and Japanese, and allow any other racial group to settle here and give them financial assistance, yet refuse to acknowledge all the wrongs that have been done to African Americans, including Rosewood.
God is not mocked, and until this great debt is paid, America will never be whole.
I’m so disappointed.
I found out about this today.
I was looking up “towns like rosewood from pretty little liars”. I know, weird, but I’m 13 & this seriously caught my eye. There’s so much I don’t know about history. I happen to live in Florida and have never heard of this. I thought I was crazy to have never heard of the Armenian genocide until a few months ago. Now I hear of a massacre in my own state? I confronted my history teacher and asked why these things were never taught nor ever mentioned to me. Of course, he had no idea. He said the Armenian genocide wasn’t mentioned because it wasn’t u.s history, but the holocaust wasn’t u.s history until the u.s got involved, and they still tell the complete story. About a million people murdered in the Armenian genocide. People killed in rosewood. I didn’t know. This bugs me a lot. Thanks so much for this article. It really explained well for my 9th grader mind.
Thank you so much for your comment. Your experience exactly illustrates why it’s important to keep these events alive. History is not a consumer item; we decide what is important to remember.
It wasn’t just Bush that spoke up to get a marker put up, Gov. Chiles worked on it as well. I heard about Rosewood when I was in the 7th grade in Miami around 1994. It was not a bunch of information but it was still enough, even then, to make a person angry that something so hateful could happen and the then governor Hardee and others in positions of power did nothing to help innocent people.
I was in Rosewood in 1997. Went to the Cedar Key Museum where there was NOTHING about the town or 1923. Stopped at a local radio station and asked about the history. The person there was very evasive. I did see the John Wright house or store (not sure which it was). The NO SHOOTING FROM ROAD sign was there then! A very scary area, everyone has a rack with a rifle in their pick-up.
I live in Gainesville,Florida which is about 40 miles east of Rosewood.My Great Grandmother first told me this story about three years before the movie came out.She told how she was a little girl growing up in Archer,Florida,and how she was playing in their yard people came out of nowhere asking for shelter and help because they had been forced out of their homes.I have been to Rosewood twice and it felt as if I could see the trees and the houses burning.On my second trip I visited The Old Wright House, which is now occupied by a really nice couple named Doyal and Fiji Scoggins,I asked them if it was okay to walk around their yard and they were delighted. They told me that poeple stop by all the time,and Mr. Scoggins lead me to a well that sits in his yard ,and He informed me that children hid in well during the massacre. I am very knowledgeable on the subject of Rosewood. My heart bleeds for those who were forced out their homes due to a lie and racial hatred.
Nina, thank you for adding your recollections here.
You are Welcome,Rosewood is very dear to my heart.I want to go back and visit the site where railway was and the cemetery where the Carrier’s are buried.
I appreciate the work you are doing. I just released a novel based on a lynching in Marianna, Florida in 1934. The story is fiction, but the events around the lynching are taken from eye witness accounts. I am using fiction to bring truth to the forefront. We have no chance of changing the future if we don’t look the past directly in the face. My novel is “The Ghost of Blackwater Creek.” I am now working on one based on the riot in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1921. That event was quite similar to the one in Rosewood. How very cruel we humans can be! We must keep the information available and cease to hide from our past.
The settlement at Rosewood was started before the Civil War or the coast to coast railroad. The red cedar of the area gave the town it’s name and shipments of the wood to the pencil factories in the Cedar Keys made Rosewood a boom town of the late 1800′s. The population was black and white but predominately white. When the cedar ran out the area went into decline and most of the white families moved away. Mr. Wright and his wife Mary Jane lost all three of their children in the winter of ’03-04′, so the children of Rosewood were their ‘children’. At the time of the massacre they were in their 50′s & 60′s. The ‘abandoned’ land at Rosewood was picked up by Mr. Wright and others of the area.
I had just got back from a hunting trip from Rosewood, one of my buddies dad’s is partial owner of 1,100 acres of partial hunting land and preserve just at the edge. we went hog hunting at night and riding through those woods was deffinitely erie, my buddy told me the story of the massacre, and an even more bone chilling story. He said they were out there one night during deer season sitting up by the cabin having a fire, when they herd a scream come out of the woods, his dad went out to check for someone but couldnt find anyone or get any responses to his calls. I just watched the movie tonight, and Im glad that i did so after i got back, theres no way that i could have kept my composure when my buddy thought ity was funny to cut off the lights going down a trail. But besides me being a big baby out in the woods at night, its still horrible to think about what happened to all those people, especially when you find yourself riding through the very woods they hid in.