NEWSLETTER TO THE MEMBERSHIP Pompano Beach Historical Society Winter 2019-2020 Mission Statement PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE FEBRUARY PROGRAM The Pompano Beach KITTY OLIVER PhD Historical Society’s Thank you to all our members who came mission is to collect, out for the annual Holiday Party that was RACE & CHANGE: LOCAL HISTORY preserve and publicize held on December 11th. It was an op- Please join us as we celebrate Black the history of the greater portunity for all to reconnect with old History month with guest speaker, Pompano Beach area. friends and become acquainted with journalist, author, oral historian, media some new ones. And while the rain that producer and professional singer Kitty occurred later in the evening dampened Oliver, PhD! Her topic will be Race and OFFICERS our surroundings it did not dampen our Change - Local History, an interesting & spirits … a festive occasion for all! collection of stories and insights on the DIRECTORS history of our local race evolution. Ms. I also want to thank those that participat- Oliver’s Race and Change Initiative Pete Williams ed in our annual fall Casino Night fund- promotes a 21st Century discussion of President raiser, ‘An Evening in Macau’. Your race and differences in cross-cultural Rob Whitsett generous support and donations are key public forums using archival oral history Vice President to providing the funds we depend on to interviews, video and web radio pro- support our programs, historical events, grams, and creative performance presen- Jim Post and archival activities. And, on behalf of tations. Treasurer all members, I want to especially thank February 19 @ 6:30 pm Lita Chambers our many sponsors, the local businesses in our community, that do so much to Hood Center Secretary 217 NE 4th Avenue further ensure our continued success. Tobi Aycock Shanna Benson Finally, I would like to highlight changes RSVP at: Jerry Bowman we are making in our archival process. www.pompanohistory.com/kitty_oliver Denyse Cunningham In the coming year the Historical Society expects to accelerate activities to catalog This program is sponsored by Florida Tom Curran Humanities Council: Florida Talks. Claudia DuBois the many assets in our museum’s collec- tion—maps, photographs, audio and vid- Carol Ann Mott PROGRESSIVE DINNER Katy Mullon eo assets, and other items. Our goal is to Irene Reidich provide greater visibility, and eventually, The 4th Annual Progressive Dinner was Mona Silverstein online access to the Society’s collections a resounding success! Thank you to David Wheeler in support of our mission to preserve, everyone who came out and joined us! Margaret White publish and promote Pompano’s herit- We hope you had as much fun as we age, and the stories of the many pioneers did! It was a special night where three Honorary that built the city we are all so proud of local historic organizations worked Rob Brantley today! Denyse Cunningham is leading together: The Ali Center, the Sample- Don Downie this effort and would welcome volun- McDougald House and the Kester Cot- Lamar P.Fisher teers willing to contribute towards the tages. And a big thank you to John Knox Charles Lewis archival effort. Contact Pat if you’d like Village and Carrabba’s for their support! Tom R. McMahon to volunteer some of your time. Pete Williams PAGE 2 POMPANO BEACH HISTOR ICAL SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING SAVES THE DATES! The next Annual Meeting of the Pompano Beach Historical Society will be conducted immediately It’s going to be a five day extravaganza! prior to our regularly scheduled program meeting on May 20, 2020. During the Annual Meeting, The Highwaymen will be in Pompano members will be presented with a new slate of di- from March 18 through March 22! rectors that have been proposed for the upcoming year. All members are encouraged to attend! Day one, Wednesday, Doretha Hair Truesdell and her son, Roderick will be speaking at the Historical Board candidates may be submitted to the Nomi- Society’s Hood Center for our Wednesday Program. nating Committee prior to April 30th. Please con- Ms. Truesdell was part of the Highwaymen Move- tact Jerry Bowman, committee chair, to submit a ment from the very start. She learned to paint from nomination or for further information. Jerry can her husband, Alfred Hair, who was the original be reached at: 954-298-0854. Highwayman! SAVE THAT POINSETTIA! Day two on Thursday evening is “Paint with the Artists”. Doretha and Roderick will teach you how Alas, we’ve left another joyous and memorable to paint your very own Highwaymen painting. This holiday season behind us! The ornaments and outstanding opportunity will have limited seating lighting are safely packed away for next year … but and is available at $75.00 per person, including all what to do with that beautiful poinsettia plant that supplies; wine, beer, and soft drinks; and lite bites. remains? Day three, Friday, is the Opening Reception and Art Truth be told, poinsettia plants purchased in north- Show at the Woman’s Club, across the street from ern climates are not always particularly hardy. But the Historical Society offering a first look at the not the case in sunny south Florida! Most of the artist’s latest artwork as well as a meet and greet poinsettias sold at our local markets, nurseries and with all of the attending artists. We’re still working even big-box stores were probably grown locally. out the details on this one, but you will be the first to And as a result are ideal candidates to transplant in know! the backyard or garden. And while they can remain as houseplants indoors, Days four and five, Saturday and Sunday, are the they really thrive once public Art Show and Sale also at the Woman’s Club. planted outdoors. Enjoy the art, talk to the artists, and join us across the street to tour the Kester Cottages and have lunch How easy is this you available for purchase from Spanx the Hog! ask? Well, quite simp- ly it can involve noth- ing more than placing BUY USING AMAZONSMILE! the plant, pot and all out in a suitable spot in the garden. Or, if you’d like That’s right! Don’t forget that the Pompano Beach the plant to truly prosper, remove the plant and en- Historical Society is one of amazon.com’s charity tire root ball from the pot and replant in a well- recipients through AmazonSmile. Amazon donates drained area of the garden. Poinsettias do best in 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile areas with partial sun which becomes increasingly purchases to the organization of your choice. desirable during the hot summer months. Try to minimize any disruption to the root ball and insert Please choose us when you shop at Amazon by into a spot dug of equal width and depth. And, no signing on through smile.amazon.com and selecting fertilizer required! Pompano Beach Historical Society from their list of eligible charities. Try it! Save your poinsettia today and enjoy this colorful bouquet as a reminder to the joys of the holiday season for months to come! POMPANO BEACH HISTOR ICAL SOCIETY PAGE 3 DID YOU KNOW…. IN MEMORIAM Esther Rolle is a Pompano Pioneer? Phyllis Neuberger (1925—2019) Esther Rolle was born in Pompano on November 8, 1920 and lived on NW Third Phyllis J. Neuberger, known to Avenue (Church Ave,). In many as the long-time feature 1981 they renamed it Esther writer for the local Pelican (and Rolle Avenue. later New Pelican) passed away peacefully, surrounded by fam- Ms. Rolle’s parents immi- ily, on November 27th. The grated from Nassau, Baha- stories Ms. Neuberger authored mas. She was the tenth child were diverse and varied, and out of eighteen. Like most generally managed to highlight children in Pompano she and something good happening within our community, her brothers and sisters and in doing so, bringing a bit of cheer to our day. worked the fields picking beans and other vegetables when they were not in Ms. Neuberger was a long-time member of the school. Pompano Historical Society, along with several other community-spirited organizations in and She attended the Pompano Colored School, which around Pompano Beach. Through her determination was later named Blanche Ely. She also attended and creative wisdom Phyllis was able to spread news Booker T. Washington High School in Miami. She of our organizations’ collective missions broadly and a sister would stay in Miami for the school week throughout our communities. Phyllis will be deeply and return home to Pompano for the week-ends. missed by all. She studied at Spelman College in Atlanta, then moved to New York where she attended Hunter Sylvia Grove College. She then transferred to The New School (1939—2019) and on to Yale University. Sylvia Thomas Grove, ‘Maw’ to Everyone knows Ms. Rolle as Florida Evans of her family, passed away after a ‘Good Times’ but she did so much more. She short illness on September fought for the character of the husband, James Ev- 30th. Mrs. Grove was born in ans on the show. She thought it was ‘terribly unfair Meridian, MS. Her father was in and detrimental to young black children’ to always the military, and they lived in many portray black women with no husband. She was places including in Alabama and nominated in 1975 for the Best Actress in a Georgia. She moved to Holly- Musical/Comedy Golden Globe Award for her role wood, FL in 1960 with her husband as Florida in Good Times. In 1979 she won an Em- James F. Aycock.