Sway to its rhythm, tap into the neighborhood’s heartbeat, visit landmarks and meet its courageous trailblazers who built a thriving community. Newtown is a resilient community undergoing revitalization and redevelopment. It has a rich legacy and is located on Florida’s Cultural Coast considered “the cultural center of the southeastern United States.
Your search is over! Actually, the first step of your study about how Newtown developed and grew is done. A team of experts made your work easier. Historians, a cultural anthropologist, architectural historian and preservationist joined volunteers in combing the area’s archives and repositories to collect information about Newtown and Overtown’s history.
Residents shared their photographs, treasured memories and memorabilia.
Over 400 primary and secondary source documents about life in two of Sarasota’s oldest communities were found. We hope our work will increase your curiosity, raise more questions and spark new discoveries.
We follow Newtown born and raised spoken word artist, Melanie Lavender. Inspiring the community through her words, she continues to cultivate strength and to speak up about the need for representation in Sarasota. Through her story, we explore Newtown’s rich culture and heritage as a vital force for the future of Sarasota.
Watch this episode and more at: wedu.org/greater
Wade Harvin’s favorite memories of Sarasota occurred when the family moved to Delson Quarters in June of 1945. He grew up surrounded by charming, caring neighbors and playmates whose eyes were always set on achieving what seemed impossible.
In this spirit, Harvin went on to become the first African American branch manager of Coast Federal Bank and participated in the 1960’s sit-ins to integrate Lido Beach. He would not step foot on its sand for many years to follow as a result of a hateful act, but because of the efforts of him and many others, all people today can enjoy the beautiful shores.
Rev. Wade Harvin Jr. passed away on April 10, 2019, but his impactful legacy will always be remembered by the community.
A new book about the history of Sarasota’s African American community is now available. Find out why early settlers came to the tiny fishing village, how they made a living, and why they organized a self-sustaining neighborhood. The book also describes their religious and social traditions, medical and military history and their emphasis on education. Whether you are new to Sarasota, a frequent visitor, an educator, historian or a longtime resident trying to connect the dots in your family tree, we believe the personal stories of courage, dignity and determination of Newtown and Overtown residents will be enlightening and inspiring.
The men and women fought for equal rights, triumphed over Jim Crow segregation, KKK intimidation, and vigilante violence. A diverse group of historians, community scholars, a cultural anthropologist, historical architect and preservationist and volunteer researchers united to present the glorious history of strivers who refused to give up.
