MIAMI, FL —  January 30, 2026 — HistoryMiami Museum is proud to announce the culmination of the first phase of Stories of Resistance from Black Miami, a multi-year oral history and storytelling initiative that amplifies the voices, lived experiences, and enduring contributions of Black Miamians. The newest eight videos are now available online and on view in the museum’s galleries, completing a powerful collection that documents resistance, resilience, and community leadership across generations. 

To extend the reach of these stories beyond museum walls, HistoryMiami is launching a citywide storytelling campaign throughout Black History Month. The videos and excerpts will appear on public signage across Miami and will be shared through local media partners including WLRN, PBS, The Miami Times, additional community outlets, as well as through the museum’s newsletters, social media platforms, and collaborations with local influencers. 

“Stories of Resistance from Black Miami reflects our commitment to ensuring that Black Miamians are not only represented in history, but centered in it,” said Natalia Crujeiras, President & CEO of HistoryMiami Museum. “These stories remind us that resistance can take many forms and that Miami’s history is inseparable from the Black communities who have shaped it.” 

The latest in the series include: 

  • Commissioner Marlene Bastien who was born and raised in Haiti under the Duvalier dictatorship. She reflects on her decades of fierce activism, social work, and the continued fight for immigrants’ rights. 
  • Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen who reflects on her family’s journey from Haiti to Coral Springs, on discovering her passion for environmental and social policy, and on the impactful programs she’s spearheaded while in office. 
  • Senator Dwight Bullard (D) recounts his upbringing in the historic neighborhood of Richmond Heights. He speaks on his mother, Senator Larcenia J. Bullard’s activism and political career, and reflects on his own entry into – and experience in – the political arena. 
  • T. Willard Fair reflects on his six decades of leadership and service with the Urban League of Greater Miami, Inc., including the strategies utilized, and the partnerships nurtured, in the fight for civil rights. 
  • Ricardo Gonzalez, author of Black Pedro Pan, reflects on his journey to Miami through Operation Pedro Pan and his experiences combatting racism, housing discrimination, and electoral injustice. 
  • Dr. Adora Obi Nweze  shares reflections on her tireless fight against racial injustice in South Florida, including her involvement in the NAACP, in the BOYCOTT MIAMI campaign, and in Homestead’s Hurricane Andrew response.   
  • Dr. Anna Price, the first Black mayor of South Miami, recalls her years of leadership and mentorship at the University of Miami, as well as the importance of transformative prison ministries. 
  • Dr. George Simpson, Florida’s first Black board-certified surgeon, reflects on his – and his wife Dazelle’s -legacy in Miami, including their contributions to the medical field and to the civil rights movement.  

Other leaders whose stories were collected through this project include, Leona Cooper Baker, Yvonne and Stanley Caleb, Romania Dukes, Dr. Dorothy Jenkins Fields, Mileyka Burgos-Flores, Commissioner Betty Ferguson, Thelma Gibson, Barbara Jimeno, Lonnie Lawrence,  H.T. Smith, and Dr. Walter T. Richardson. 

As part of Black History Month, HistoryMiami is also launching a new educator resource tool designed to help teachers in Miami-Dade County schools share these stories in the classroom. This resource will empower educators to incorporate the narratives of Black Miamians into their lessons, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the community’s history. 

For more than 10 years, HistoryMiami Museum has recorded and safeguarded Miami Stories,  first-person accounts that capture the everyday moments, milestones, and movements that define life in Greater Miami. Stories of Resistance from Black Miami is the newest initiative of this long-standing effort, reinforcing the museum’s role as steward of the region’s collective memory. 

Stories of Resistance from Black Miami was made possible through the generous support of Julie and Micheal Weiser, whose investment helped bring these vital stories to the public. 

In addition to the storytelling initiatives, HistoryMiami will commemorate Black History Month by hosting a guided tour of Historic Black Coconut Grove, February 7, offering participants an opportunity to explore one of Miami’s oldest Black communities and learn about its profound cultural, social, and political legacy. Register here.  

The newest videos from Stories of Resistance from Black Miami can be viewed at  historymiami.org/storiesofresistance/ and in the museum’s galleries. Community members can also, and are encouraged to, submit their own stories through the Stories website. 

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About HistoryMiami Museum 
HistoryMiami Museum is Miami’s oldest continuously operating cultural institution and a Smithsonian Affiliate. Through exhibitions, programs, research, and collections, the museum safeguards and shares Miami’s stories, connecting people to the past, present, and future of our community.