Why is Ocoee celebrating its lynching history?
The west Orange County city of Ocoee must like its lynching
history.
Why else would city leaders plan to celebrate Ocoee
Founders’ Day on the same date when white people in Ocoee began a murdering
rampage the ended in the lynching of a black man?
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| Ceremony honoring July Perry -- lynching victim. |
The rampage – known as the Ocoee Massacre -- began
on Nov. 2, 1920, when a black man in Ocoee tried to vote.
On Nov. 2, 2020, the city plans to celebrate the 100th
anniversary of Founders’ Day.
Some residents circulating an online petition are asking
for the Founders’ Day celebration date to be changed. Historical records
indicate Ocoee was founded in May 1925.
The petition calls for Nov. 2nd to be declared
July Perry Day in Ocoee.
July Perry is the name of the prominent black landowner in
Ocoee who sheltered and tried to defend Mose Norman, the man who tried to vote.
Perry responded with gunfire when the white mob tried to invade his home.
The white mob regrouped with hundreds of vigilantes from as
far away as Tampa. During the ensuing melee, Perry was wounded and then
transported to the city jail in Orlando. The mob kidnapped Perry from the jail
and lynched him in Orlando.
Other black families in Ocoee also were attacked. Many
black people were killed. All the black residents were chased out of the city. The
bloodshed continued for a week. Until the 1980s, Ocoee was an all-white Sundown Town,
where blacks were warned to leave before the sun went down at night.
The on-line petition says: “For the past 25 years, the City
of Ocoee has inappropriately failed to recognize the horrible date and events
of the Ocoee Massacre. But have instead
observed what they have dubbed 'Founders Day' which seems to be a country jamboree festival showcasing non-diverse artists, which denotes a lack
of inclusion. “
Ironically, it’s likely that some of the Ocoee founders who
are honored during the Founders’ Day event were involved in the massacre. This past summer a ceremony was held at the Orange
County History Center to unveil a monument honoring July Perry.
George Oliver, one of 2 black city commissioners recently
elected to the Ocoee City Commission plans to raise the topic of changing the
Founders’ Day date tonight (Dec. 3) at the City Commission meeting.
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