Coming soon: The City of Fort Lauderdale will officially unveil the street signs, adding Rubin Stacy as a secondary name to a 2.1-mile segment of Davie Boulevard. The Resolution was passed by the City of Fort Lauderdale Commission on June 15, 2021. At the request of the family, the street signs will read “Rubin Stacy Memorial Boulevard”.
The first remembrance of Stacy began with the collection of soil by students of Boyd Anderson High School, supervised by teacher, Mr. Roberto Fernandez. The soil was delivered to the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. Other efforts to bring awareness to Rubin Stacy, a victim of a Broward County lynching, included Representative Bobby Dubois submitting bill HB151 to the Florida Senate to include the name of Rubin Stacy on a one block stretch of Davie Boulevard between SW. 35th Ave. and SW. 36th Ave. in Fort Lauderdale.
Since the area of the street naming is under the jurisdiction of the City of Fort Lauderdale, Commissioner Robert McKenzie was instrumental in having the name extended from State Road 7 to Interstate I 95.
There was also a proclamation by Broward County Mayor, Dale Holness, on June 19, 2020 (the anniversary of Rubin’s lynching) in support of the Rubin Stacy awareness efforts. Additional efforts are being made to receive a replica of the Metal copper tone Monument from The Lynching Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. Several organizations are presently in discussions to have markers placed at locations tracing the trail of events leading up to the capture and lynching of Rubin, which will include his Burial Place at The Historical Woodlawn Cemetery for colored people in Broward County.
On May 26, 2021 Kimberly Mosley, assistant attorney for the City of Fort Lauderdale, was responsible for drafting the resolution (City of Fort Lauderdale RESOLUTION 21-0466). Ben Rogers, director for the city Department of Transportation, Vice Mayor Ken Cutler and other Rubin Stacy Team members received and assisted in revising the resolution. It was sent on to Commissioner Ben Sorensen on June 4, 2021, for corrections. and then to the African American community. Derek Davis President of Broward County Trailblazers, along with Mary Russ Milligan, the Rubin Stacy family representative revised the final draft of the Resolution, changing the narrative that had been in existence for 86 years.
This Journey required lots of involvement with the Stacy family members, along with prayers for peace. The first organized meeting for the Rubin Stacy project with individuals of the African American Community outside those of politicians, took place around March 3, 2019. We were able to show facts and findings that proved that the 86-year-old narrative was wrong. It was proven that Rubin Stacy was a laborer, married man and father of a three-year-old son with a physical address near Sistrunk Boulevard. Rubin Stacy was known by family and friends of Fort Lauderdale and Georgia as a hard-working man before he became the victim of a mob of murderers. The 21st Century narrative portrays Rubin Stacy as a man with dignity and family values.
I’ve had the opportunity to introduce many of the Rubin Stacy family members to Community Leaders in the Community where Rubin and his young family resided.
Family members include Ruby Lightner and Odessa Simmons, great nieces of Rubin Stacy.
Curtis Mozie was actively engaged in activities and communication with (EJI) Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama many years before Broward County involvement in the Stacy case. Mozie’s motivational drive for lynching victims has been a project for nearly 20 years. Mozie learned of my position with Rubin Stacy on June 15, 2021, after I spoke as Rubin Stacy family Representative in the City of Fort Lauderdale Commissioners meeting. As a sincere and dedicated advocate for Rubin Stacy I could not go without telling his story as part of the Rubin Stacy Legacy. We worked together in making sure Rubin Stacy is never forgotten.
The African American communities are seeking answers as they strive to take on leadership roles to preserve the best interests of Rubin Stacy Legacy. Many unanswered questions remain.
Rubin Stacy’s murder was a hateful act of TERRORISM in Broward County in the 1930’s. I know of three acts of terrorism, but the Rubin Stacy incident stood out amongst other murders involving Sheriff Clark, his deputies, and mobs. In order to bring some healing and find some answered, I scheduled a meeting with Patricia Zeiler, executive director of Broward County Historical Society. Rubin Stacy’s great-niece Odessa Simmons, Curtis Mozie and Ellery Andrews and I attended the meeting. Far too long have others capitalized and given false narrative of African Americans for political and personal gain. The unjust treatment applied not only to the Black culture. Other shades of colors were also experiencing these types of untold stories. Patricia Zeiler will be working with the African American community on the upcoming African American Experience Museum. Hopefully they will be the ambassadors to the Broward County Society to ensure their stories are recorded correctly. The Broward County Historical Society is a valuable educational connection for the community.
Sistrunk Boulevard was the Community where Rubin Stacy chose to live. This African American community is our home. We must reveal and preserve our history. It is the equity of our culture and the wealth of our inheritance. My seven-year mission was accomplished.
The city of Fort Lauderdale invites the community to join in as they host the Rubin Stacy Memorial Boulevard Unveiling Ceremony on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, at 1 p.m.
This ceremony will take place at the St. Thomas Aquinas Bienes Center for the Arts located at 2812 SW. 12th St., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
This article was submitted by Ms. Mary Russ Milligan who has a detailed account of all events leading up to renaming of a portion of Davie Boulevard in honor of Rubin Stacy.
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