‘This is history’: Hundreds of people remember the Rosewood Massacre on its 100th anniversary

ROSEWOOD, Fla. (WCJB) - The ‘Remembering Rosewood’ foundation invited people from across the state to remember the horrific massacre in the town of Rosewood in Levy County.

Rosewood was a predominantly black town in levy county before an angry mob of white people from the town of Sumner killed many people and burned the town to the ground. That massacre lasted for a week.

Now 100 years later, community members are still remembering that horrific day.

“They said that this was the 100th year and they were laying wreaths so from there that’s history, our black history,” said Ruff rider biker club member Rolando Graham. “We’re right down the road from rosewood so I got lots of brothers and sisters to come down. We rode down to pay our respects.”

Dr. Marvin Dunn is a professor out of Miami who purchased the land in hopes of keeping history alive for generations to come.

“When I first saw that railroad track. I had to have this property,” said Dunn. “That railroad track saved lives. That train came in to rescue people used this track and its the only preserved section of the railroad track in rosewood and that’s why I’m gong to keep it and save it for history.”

However, purchasing the land came with some backlash. Dr. Dunn and his team said the neighborhoods surrounding rosewood were not happy about the purchase.

(brian bond)(project director)

“I’m moved and I don’t know about you, I cant help but be moved by the event and just knowing what happened here 100 years ago,” said project director Brian Bond. “Some of the things we are still dealing with as you heard Dr. Dunn mention in his speech how we’ve not been fully accepted by the neighbors but we’re working on trying to improve that.”

The foundation will be commemorating the anniversary with more events throughout the week.

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