Miami was officially incorporated in 1896 and blacks were a crucial part of this event. An informal Miami Metropolis census captured around incorporation time, noted that 182 of the 438 registered male voters in town were black. On July 28, 162 of the aforementioned 182 voted to incorporate the city. The first name on the charter of the city of Miami was Silas Austin, a black man.
Right now at the City Cemetery we are honoring the African American Incorporators of the @CityofMiami pic.twitter.com/gmbWEAWynV
— Ken Russell Miami (@kenrussellmiami) February 18, 2018
As we celebrate Black History Month nationwide, it is a good time to reflect on our own history here in Miami.