Category: Education

What the Records Tell Us:

Published on by SylviaLeave a comment

Why the Family May Have Sold, and How We Can Stop It from Happening Again

For decades, the property at 1102 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Drive sat in the hands of the
Crumbsby family. It was heir property, land passed down through generations, once representing stability and pride. But by 2018, after years of probate proceedings and out-of-state heirs, the family sold both lots for $14,250.

Today, those same parcels hold newly built “twin” homes that sold for more than $400,000 each, and property taxes that used to be a few hundred dollars have soared to nearly $5,000 a year.
The records suggest the heirs’ decision wasn’t about greed, it was about pressure and distance.

The original owner had passed away, leaving several relatives scattered across different states. Maintaining a vacant lot from hundreds of miles away, paying yearly taxes, and navigating legal paperwork was likely overwhelming. Add in a developer’s offer of quick cash, before the family could realize what was coming to the neighborhood, and the sale became almost inevitable.

Once that land left the family’s hands, so did a piece of their legacy. The return on that $14,000 sale is now reaping profits for developers, not descendants. What was once affordable, Black-owned ground is now part of a new wave of redevelopment that few of the original families can afford to return to.

Continue reading “What the Records Tell Us:” →

I Was Shocked but I’m Not Surprised

Published on by SylviaLeave a comment

Yesterday, I walked through my community handing out flyers about tomorrow’s CRA
meeting. I also passed out a page explaining what TIF (Tax Increment Financing) and “blight” really mean; two terms that have quietly shaped the future of our neighborhoods for decades.

I was shocked to learn how many of my neighbors had never even heard of TIF or blight. I
was shocked to see how many homes are for sale or boarded up; homes that once held
families, laughter, and life. And I was shocked to realize that not one person I spoke with,
knew what was happening with the old Baptist Hospital site.

But deep down, I wasn’t surprised.

Continue reading “I Was Shocked but I’m Not Surprised” →

The History of Segregation in Pensacola, Fla.

Published on by SylviaLeave a comment

Lets start from the beginning…

Early Days of Segregation in Pensacola, Florida

The story of segregation in Pensacola, Florida is part of a broader history of racial separation, disenfranchisement, and violence in the American South. For the Black communities in Pensacola, the Jim Crow era and its antecedents had deep and lasting consequences; on neighborhoods, businesses, schooling, political power, and memory.

This document explores the early days of segregation in Pensacola: how it began, key milestones, the local context, and some of the enduring legacies.

Antecedents: Slavery, Reconstruction and Early 20th Century

The region that became Pensacola was built in large part by enslaved African Americans under Spanish, French, British and American rule; the Black presence in the area is centuries old.

Following the Civil War and Reconstruction, white political dominance was restored across Florida, including Escambia County (Pensacola), and “separate but equal” laws and practices of segregation took root. By the early 20th century, Pensacola’s Black population was significant; almost evenly matched with whites at the century’s beginnig, but as segregation, intimidation, and racial violence increased, the Black demographic and business presence began to be pressured.

Continue reading “The History of Segregation in Pensacola, Fla.” →

Our History as Black People in Pensacola, Fla.

Published on by SylviaLeave a comment

I have been doing research, collecting data/statistics and the more I learn about our history, as Black people, living here in Pensacola…The City of Pensacola needs to make things right.

I’ll be posting every day or every other day about our lives here in Pensacola.

Disclaimer: The information shared by Empower Black Families is based on publicly available records, credible data sources, and community research. It is provided for educationa, informationals and advocacy purposes only.

Empower Black Families does not intend to defame, misrepresnt, or cause harm to any individual, organization or entity. While all efforts are made to ensure accuracy, readers are encouraged to verify information independently and consult original sources.

The materials presented are designed to promote, dialogue, transparency, and accountability around issues impacting Black families and communities in Pensacola and beyond.

By using, sharing, or referencing this material, you acknowledge that it represents advocacy work and research findings; not legal, financial, or medical advice.