INFORMATION FOR THE PRESS
For Immediate Release:
After 100 Years, The Descendants Of Rosewood Return To Tour The Wright House, The Only Surviving Structure in Rosewood Following the 1923 Massacre
Celebrating the 38th Annual Rosewood Family Reunion in Gainesville this weekend
FLORIDA – (July 18, 2023) Today, the Descendants of Rosewood Foundation, Inc. announced a significant milestone for the families of those lost during the historic 1923 Rosewood massacre. The descendants of the eight families have been invited to the former home of John Wright, the white store owner who hid residents during the week-long massacre that devastated an entire community of more than 300 Black residents. The Wright house was the only structure left standing after the desecration of the once thriving town more than 100 years ago.
On Saturday, July 22, 2023, the descendants of Rosewood, in conjunction with their Annual Rosewood Family Reunion, will gather at 8:30 am at Veterans Memorial Park in Gainesville to be escorted by the Florida Highway Patrol to Rosewood to tour this historic landmark and pay homage to those who fought and died protecting their families and property. This will be the first time members of the eight families have been granted access to view the property together.
The Wright’s home was central to the survival of the residents who took refuge there while a vigilante mob of white men ravaged the town before burning it to the ground. Those who survived the massacre hid inside the house, in the water well in the yard, and in the woods before fleeing to Gainesville by train. This collective tour will perhaps provide some level of comfort or closure to the families as they continue to grapple with this devastating loss. In the coming days, the Descendants of Rosewood Foundation, Inc. plans to announce another historic milestone as they continue to work to restore their family legacies and the wealth that was stolen a century ago.
This weekend marks the 38th Annual Rosewood Family Reunion in Gainesville. The weekend of activities will provide space for the eight impacted families to reconnect with one another and honor the sacrifices of their ancestors. This year’s weekend of activities includes the Ride for Rosewood, a 51-mile solidarity ride that follows the escape route from Cedar Key to Gainesville.
The Remembering Rosewood Centennial anniversary kicked off in January and set out to honor the lives of those lost 100 years ago and explore what the next 100 years look like for Black people amid the ongoing conversation around wealth disparities and reparations in America. The survivors and descendants of Rosewood are the first African Americans to receive reparations from a legislative body in the country.
“We are so thankful for this opportunity! This will be the first time for many of us to view the inside of the Wright house, but more importantly, to experience this critical piece of our collective family history. We are grateful to have this experience together as a collective family and document this incredible milestone for the next generation,” said Gregory Doctor, the cousin of Arnett Doctor, the descendant who led the fight for the families’ historic reparations settlement. Our ancestors tried to shield us from the ugly truth of America’s past, but we are determined to keep Rosewood’s rich history and legacy alive and continue to chart a course for the next 100 years.”
There are eight families whose direct descendants remain to tell the stories of resilience and fortitude that defined the town of Rosewood: the Bradleys, the Carriers, the Colemans, the Edwards, the Evans, the Goins, the Halls, and the Robinsons families. But a simple request two years ago sparked this centennial movement. Before she passed away, The Rosewood Family, Inc. historian Barbara Doctor Scantling Moore asked the family members to pass on the knowledge of the Rosewood legacy to the public. Inspired by Barbara’s request, The Descendants of Rosewood Foundation, Inc. was born, ready to be a source of inspiration for the next 100 years and beyond.
For more information about the Descendants of Rosewood, please visit the website rememberingrosewood.com or follow us on social media @remember1923 and tag us using the hashtag #Rosewood100.
For Media who wish to cover this event, please reply to this email to request media credentials.
Nomsa Hampton, Media Relations
Nosiike Media Group
[email protected]
Phone: (770) 310-3867
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About The Descendants of Rosewood, Inc.
The Descendants of Rosewood, Inc., a 501 c3 nonprofit organization, is a launch pad for progress by building on the foundation established by those who came before. The Descendants of Rosewood, Inc. will support other families seeking to reclaim their families’ legacies; advocate for real conversations of race relations, socio-economic advancement, and true diversity, equality, and inclusion; and champion the ownership of our narratives and leverage resources to open and expand distribution for those stories, for us and by us. The Descendants of Rosewood, Inc. is an emblem of hope and inspiration for the next 100 years and beyond.