A R T & C U LT U R E
HISTORIC MOTIVATIONS
A ROUNDUP OF SUMMER ART HAPPENINGS IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY BY TRINA RYAN
HISTORIC LEONARD REID HOUSE RELOCATES TO NEWTOWN, SARASOTA On May 27, the City of Sarasota made its first big move toward preserving the rich history of its Black residents, by uprooting—quite literally—the historic Leonard Reid house to its new location in Newtown. Previously residing in the Rosemary District, formally known as Overtown, the 1,400-square-foot, single-story clapboard house will serve as the neighborhood’s first African American museum and cultural center, an initiative headed by the nonprofit Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition (SAACC). The 2.6-mile journey of the Reid home, transported via flatbed truck, took roughly two hours, and now sits on the corner of Orange Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Built in 1926, the Reid house was the
anchor of Overtown, Sarasota’s first Black community, which Reid helped establish. An entrepreneur, trailblazer and pioneer, Reid was often referred to as “the righthand man” of John Hamilton Gillespie, Sarasota’s first mayor. Reid and his family also dedicated themselves to educating Black youth. Reid would give away books on his front porch to children as they passed by, while his daughters, who both became teachers, taught thousands of schoolchildren in the community. Now, the significance of the Reid house, as well as Overtown’s African American history, will live on. The cultural center will reside in the Reid house starting later this summer until construction of a new building on the property is complete
From left, Sarasota Vice Mayor Kyle Battie, Selby Gardens VP for Diversity and Inclusion Walter Gilbert, SAACC President and CEO Vickie Oldham, Leonard Reid Descendant Mary Mack and her son Tyrone Mack.
The Reid House took two hours to move to Newtown.
TAMPA MUSEUM OF ART WELCOMES ITS FIRST ANNUAL JUNETEENTH CULTURAL CELEBRATION
Vendors sold products at the celebration. Guests listened to live music.
24 ONYX MAGAZINE
Over the past two years, the nation has witnessed the beginning of a wholesale change in recognizing a greater need for diversity, equity and inclusion. One such effort includes commemorating June 19, 1865—now designated Juneteenth—the day the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free. Juneteenth became an American federal holiday in 2021, and this year, festivities abounded across the country, including in the Tampa Bay area at the Tampa Museum of Art, which held its first annual Juneteenth Cultural Celebration. The free family-friendly event featured a variety of art activities, live music, and— something no celebration would be complete without—food trucks. The celebration also welcomed programs from several community partners and free onsite health screenings by Moffitt Cancer Center and CAN Community Health, to promote social and health equity. Inside, visitors enjoyed exhibition tours of artworks by prominent Black artists, informative talks about Black art, interactive art making, family portraits, and live music. The event was held by the Museum, Moffitt Cancer Center and HORUS Construction. ONYX Magazine was a sponsor. "Today, we elevate the voices of people who maybe have been marginalized historically, in their viewpoint in their histories, and in their lives," Michael Tomor, the executive director of the Tampa Museum of Art, told 10 Tampa Bay WTSP the day of the event.
