A trip down memory lane in Carver Ranches.
The Bowles-Strachan house is now a landmark in the city of West Park also known as Carver Ranches. This home was one of the first four model homes built for the Carver Ranches subdivision. The Strachan family was one of the first families in the community. Ethelyn Bowles moved to unincorporated Broward and purchased the shotgun home. During the time, two white men were selling the land exclusively to African Americans that lived in the Liberty City and Overtown area who wanted to move. Ethelyn had a son named Theodore “Lucky” Strachan who grew up to be a prominent pioneer in that community, living there all of his life. Prior to his passing in 2006, his daughter Cynthia questioned him about the Bowles and Strachan family’s Bahamian root. These questions led Cynthia to interview several pioneers in the community, covering stories from the 1940s and 1950s. Her research included oral histories, photographs, and archival antique belongings, all of which were covered in her book “Promises from the Palmetto Bush, the genesis of Carver Ranches.” Cynthia then went on to write and produce a musical based on the book titled “Their Story is our Story.” In 2009, her home became a historical landmark in the city of West Park. Today the home is a local Black history museum that covers The Ranches’ rich history. For those interested in going back in time to see a glimpse of what the community was like for Black people during that time, I highly suggest you schedule a trip to this museum.
A family of Black excellence: The Collins family Richard Collins, a Black Broward business pioneer.
Richard Collins moved to Dania from Miami in 1911 and opened a grocery store by the name of “Collins Bros.” The store is still located on the corner of 5th avenue in Danie in Broward County. This store was ahead of its time, which adorned neon lights, and supplied shoppers with shopping carts. You can compare it to a Publix or Whole Foods of the Black community during that time. Richard let his wife Leola Collins manage the store while he was away farming or shelling rock. South Broward high school was once farm land and Richard Collins owned it., Richard.
The Collins Bros grocery store, a well-established Black owned grocery that operated in the early 1900s.
The legend of “The million Dollar Palms” Club in Hallandale.
The mid-1950s gave birth to “The Million Dollar Palms”. The Palms of Hallandale was located on Foster Road, east of MLK Jr Blvd and was revered as the premiere Black club in Florida outside of the Sir John Hotel in Overtown. The Palms was known by Black artists worldwide. It was also an integral part of the Chitterling Circuit” where James Brown, Bobby Blue Bland, Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Aretha Franklin, The impressions, Little Richie, Etta James, David Ruffin, Marvin Gaye, and countless others would frequent.
Cynthia, daughter of Theodore “Lucky” Strachan.
“Don’t shoot me”—The tragedy and unrest of Willie “Junebug” McDonald.
Willie “Junebug” McDonald was only 20 years old in 1980. He was a Deerfield Beach High school basketball star who was trying to find himself in life. On April 3, 1980, Junebug and several of his friends were shooting dice at Westside Park when an unmarked police car pulled up causing the crew shooting dice to disperse. Junebug was caught briefly after with Officer Douglas R. Williams on top of him. Officer Williams .357 Magnum fired and the bullet pierced Junebug’s neck and lungs killing him instantly. According to Officer Williams his finger slipped on the trigger due to the rain outside. He would later say Junebug knocked his hand, some witnesses say he was face down when he was killed, other witnesses said Junebug pleaded “Don’t shoot me.”
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