LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Posted on 25 February 2016 by LeslieM

RE: Black History Month tour

Dear Commissioner Battle:

Thank you so much to the City of Deerfield Beach and the Deerfield Beach Historical Society for hosting the Retirees, Seniors & Friends on Feb. 18 for Black History Month.

Your hospitality was amazing. The group had an enlightening experience visiting the 1926 Deerfield Beach Elementary School building; the 1920 Old School Museum; the 1923 Butler House; the 1948 Delta Masonic Lodge and the First Zion Missionary Baptist Church established in 1902.

The Black History Month tour hosted 59 members of a prominent African American travel club named Retirees, Seniors & Friends based in Miami-Dade County. The group consists of African Americans who are professionals and had successful careers in medicine, education and the military and as business owners. Many of them are the first generation in their family to attend college during the era of legal segregation. The group consisted of Miami’s black elite.

Some of the travel club members came from Homestead, Miami Gardens, Miami, Miramar, West Little River, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines and West Park.

Here are a few comments written on their surveys:

I really enjoyed the tour, it was a lot of history given that I was not aware of … very good trip.”

This was a very Educated Trip. Excellent!”

Tour itself was very interesting and the guide, and others who welcomed us, was just amazing … The school at City Hall was awesome. I saw books I learned to read from …”

2016 marked the sixth annual Black History Month tour that my non-profit organization has hosted for this African American travel club. My organization [of which I am the executive director/curator] is the Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History in Delray Beach, which is a non-profit 501(c)3. We have coordinated previous Black History Month tours in Florida to Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Mims/Titusville, Sanford and Ft. Pierce.

From my research about Deerfield Beach, I was inspired by its rich history; therefore, I recommended the City of Deerfield Beach for the Black History Month tour for the Retirees, Seniors & Friends.

Again, thank you so much for the warm welcome and informative tour.

Sincerely,

Lori J. Durante, Executive

Director/Chief Curator

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