Segregated African Americans cherished the Virginia Key Beach
HOLLYWOOD, FLA.—Lynette Austin fondly recalls childhood memories of Virginia Key Beach: nights spent dancing beneath the pavilion, picnics with her family, and life-long friendships forged, to name a few.
"The train, the carousel, the corndogs—it was a very festive place," said Austin. "I'll remember it as a place we looked forward to going to. It was a happy time. For us, it was like going to Disney World."
It was also the only recreational area open to African Americans in Miami during the years of segregation, although some say that caused little resentment. The beach flourished, hosting family and community gatherings, religious events, and, of course, fun in the sun.
"I didn't even give any idea to it being segregated," said Austin. "Why would we? Look at all the good things we had there. It was a treasure."
Today, Austin is executive director of the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust, an arm of the city of Miami working to restore the beach, which is now closed except for special events.
Before adjourning in November, the Senate passed legislation that authorized a study into whether the Virginia Key Beach Park merits inclusion in the National Park System. NPCA supported the legislation and will work to ensure that the study gets done.
"The Virginia Key Beach Park highlights the rich history of the civil rights movement in South Florida," said John Adornato, NPCA's Sun Coast regional representative. "It has a history worthy of national park designation."
The beach park is an 82-acre strip of shoreline less than a half-mile wide, just southeast of downtown Miami. Conservationists and park advocates fear that because the park is so close to Miami, it could be lost to development if it is not protected. It is now one of the few undeveloped pieces of shoreline in Miami.
"One of the big pluses of Virginia Key is the viewscape of its beaches—you don't see any development now," said Adornato. "Preserving that is essential."
Conservationists also hope that a study of the historically significant beach park will also examine the beach's relationship to ecological resources and contiguous areas on the 1,000-acre barrier island of Virginia Key.
The beach park was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Virginia Key Beach Park Trust continues to raise money to restore the beach; it hopes to open the park next summer. Plans are under way to restore existing structures and popular features of the historic park, such as the merry-go-round and mini-train visitors rode.
"We are doing this not just for African Americans but for all Miami residents," said Austin.
Dade County officials designated the beach "for the exclusive use of Negroes" in 1945, after Miami's black leaders, frustrated with not being welcome at recreational sites, staged a wade-in at an exclusively white beach.
When Miami integrated in the 1960s, the beach's popularity did not wane. But by the 1980s, the beach fell into disrepair after it was transferred to the city of Miami with the stipulation that it must remain open to the public.
Rep. Carrie Meek (D-Fla.) sponsored the legislation to study Virginia Key Beach Park, noting that only a handful of the 386 sites within the National Park System honor the civil rights era.
