The Real Rosewood Foundation fundraises to relocate & build Rosewood museum in Archer (Part 2 of 3)

ARCHER, Fla. (WCJB) -It’s been 100 years since the Rosewood Massacre of 1923 and the only house that survived the massacre in the once, predominately black town of Levy County was John Wright’s house. During the massacre, the white family’s home protected neighboring black residents who were targeted by the racist mob.

“We are trying to move a house from Rosewood to Archer. Here where I am today. Everything is coming together.”

The Real Rosewood Foundation is the most recent owner of the home. It’s been sold multiple times throughout the past 80 years. Along the way, Lizzie Robinson Jenkins, the foundation’s president, kept in contact with the home’s different owners to preserve its historic ties.

RELATED STORY: Real Rosewood Foundation hopes to receives grant for museum of Rosewood history

“She gave me The Stones’ address,” said Jenkins. “I visited The Stones and they knew that I was very interested in that house and the history of it.”

It would take $100,000 dollars for Jenkins to purchase the home. The ultimate goal is to turn the home into a living Rosewood museum and relocate it to Archer.

“But I could feel the energy!,” said Jenkins. This was in 2021 and it turns out the latest owners of the John Wright house felt it too and wanted to help.

“They called us down and I said, oh lord! The board went down, they made cookies and lemonade for us and we were sitting on the porch. So Mr. Stone interrupted the conversation and my heart was going…..And said, ‘Mrs. Jenkins my wife and I have decided to donate the house to y’all.’”

The house now has new purpose. The plan is to move the home from Rosewood to Archer...Then turn it into a Rosewood history museum.

“I could have fallen out of my chair! I was so excited and happy to know that they wanted to do this and he followed up because ‘of your interest and your commitment to history, we want to help.’ oh my god, that was a day I never dreamed of.”

Through fundraising efforts and grants, Jenkins’ foundation is spending the Centennial year gathering the funds to protect the resiliency that Rosewood represents.

ROSEWOOD SPECIAL PART ONE:

“It’s a history story that must be told,” Rosewood descendant reflects on Centennial anniversary of town’s massacre (Part 1 of 3)

Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Copyright 2023 WCJB. All rights reserved.