Miami, Florida is known as an international gem of fun, sun, fashion, beaches and so on. Miami’s nickname is the “Magic City.” It is a city rich with Caribbean culture, with many Haitians, Cubans, Dominicans, Bahamians, Puerto Ricans and so on. The city attracts many people from various walks of life to enjoy the good life. The bright lights and fun recently brought me to the city. I visited with the intention of turning up, but left the city with lots of food for thought.

I always try to read a book on blackness before I travel to a new city. Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell is the culture God to merge hip-hop and the city to the masses. If you read his book, The Book of Luke: My Fight for Truth, Justice, and Liberty City, you will learn a lot about black Miami. If you speak to Uncle Luke, or other black Miamians of a certain age, they will let you know that in the past, blacks had to be off Miami Beach at sundown. When Miami was incorporated as a city in 1896, most of the people to make the incorporation come to fruition were blacks. I also learned many black Bahamians labored to build the city, in regards to buildings, homes, roads and so forth. Uncle Luke’s text also reminds us that Miami is still part of the South, with anti-blackness and police brutality from the past that can still be seen.

As previously stated, I usually do my research on blackness prior to touching down in a city. I did not plan on visiting any famous black Miami historical sites, but on a spontaneous whim, I visited the Hampton House before ending my trip by watching Chance The Rapper perform on South Beach.

In my research, I came across the Hampton House. It was a hotel where black visitors could stay in Miami when they were not allowed to lodge on South Beach. It is in a neighborhood north of Liberty City called Brownsville. It is the equivalent to the Hotel Theresa in Harlem. In fact, the likes of Malcolm X, Althea Gibson, Jackie Robinson, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. all stayed at the Hampton House. Luckily, the Hampton House was still open for tours, and I received one. I was brought to the suite where Muhammad Ali frequently stayed in. I was also taken to the bar where Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali were both seen together celebrating Ali’s victory over Sonny Liston. The Hampton House is also the place where Ali was photographed in his iconic underwater pool picture. I also learned the hotel was a bastion for black Miami jazz artists. The visit to the site helped me to see the city from an overlooked point in regards to the history of anti-blackness within the city.

As I enjoyed seeing Chance The Rapper perform on South Beach, I was still on a high from experiencing and being at one with black Miami history. As I left Miami to come back to Brooklyn, I felt I had a comprehensive Miami experience. I partied, reunited with college friends and saw another side of Miami in reference to its overlooked anti-black history.

mathieujmcneil@gmail.com

Writing since May 2017 · 1 story contributed