Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 6-6-17

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Get It Straight Foundation Graduation Luncheon
The Get It Straight Foundation held its graduation lunch- eon at Mitchell's fish market at Westshore Plaza for the 2017 graduates. In attendance were: Minister James Bryant and Rev. Darren Watson, both of Get It Straight Foundation; Tampa Bay Tech honor graduate, Devin Hall, who will be at- tending FSU; Rechi Butler, Founder, Get It Straight Founda- tion; Seyjaun Lawrence, Alabama State baseball player, who spoke to the incoming college students; Jalen Rutherford Newsome High graduate, attending Erwin Technical (he’s currently shadowing at Ferrari); and guest speaker Miles Bennett who spoke to the graduates about finances and stocks, retirement.
On the back row: Corey Tucker, Armwood graduate, at- tending HCC, Antonio Middleton, D. W. Waters graduate, at- tending West Virginia; Zach Hill, finished I.T. School with his computer information degree. Not shown, Devaris Buie Mid- dleton high school.
Butler said, “We are extremely proud of these young men. They’ve overcome the odds. They come from single parent homes and some tough situations, but they made it.”
Clarence Fort Freedom Trail On List Of ‘Florida’s African American Memorials’ Site
Many Florida civil rights leaders and trailblazers of color are memorialized throughout the state. Florida’s Black Heritage dates back to 16th century explorations and the estab- lishment of St. Augustine in 1565.
VISIT FLORIDA, the state's official tourism mar- keting corporation, serves as Florida's official source for travel planning to visitors across the globe. VISIT FLORIDA is not a govern- ment agency, but rather a not-for-profit corporation created as a public/private partnership by the Florida Legislature in 1996.
Here are seven notable sites worth visiting to learn more about famous African- Americans in Florida and their contributions to the state’s rich history.
Mary McLeod Bethune Home – on the campus of Bethune-Cook- man University, Daytona
Beach.
Zora Neale Hurston’s Grave – In Garden Of Heavenly Rest Cemetery, Ft. Pierce.
Julee Cottage and Museum – in Pensacola.
Adderly House, also known as ‘Bahamian House’ – located in Marathon.
Wells Built Museum of African-American History and Culture – located in Orlando.
John G. Riley Cen- ter/Museum of African History and Culture – is located in Tallahassee.
And, right here in Tampa, The Clarence Fort Freedom Trail, Os- borne Avenue, is highlighted among the places to visit in Florida.
Clarence Fort was the 21-year-old president of the Tampa Branch NAACP Youth Council in 1960, when he organized and partici- pated in the city’s first lunch
counter sit-ins in the Wool- worth Department store.
After a week of the non- violent sit-ins, Tampa’s then-Mayor Julian Lane appointed a biracial com- mittee to discuss segregation issues and, by September 1960, the city’s lunch coun- ters were integrated.
Fort also led the initia- tive to integrate the work- force of Tampa Transit Lines and later, as a Trailways Bus Co. employee, became Florida’s first African-Amer- ican long-distance bus driver. He spent 20 years as a Hillsborough County Sher- iff’s Deputy.
On the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, the city honored Fort by dedi- cating the public park and the half-mile fitness trail that runs through it in his name. He still lives in Tampa.
(Information taken from Florida’s African- American Memorials)
PAGE 2 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 2017