By Attiyya Atkins
What do the Blanche Ely Museum and Attucks Middle School have in common? They are stops on Broward County’s interactive map called Threads. Threads is a joint project between Broward County Transit and the African American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC). The interactive map showcases the rich black history throughout Broward County.
A Broward County Transit GIS Analyst used ArcGIS to create the interactive map in which users can click on each location to learn more about its history and view nearby bus stops and routes that provide service to each site, according to a Broward County Transit press release.
The map uses a location to enlighten users on the history of the property, whether it is a school, a church, or home. It features places that many people may have visited, but may not have understood the Black history behind it, such as the Dr. Von D. Mizell – Eula Johnson State Park, which is named after Eula Johnson, a civil rights activist. Johnson led the Fort Lauderdale Beach “wade-ins” in the 1960s to desegregate Fort Lauderdale’s beaches. She also became the first woman president of the Fort Lauderdale chapter of the NAACP. Dr. Von D. Mizell is a notable local doctor who co-founded Provident Hospital (also on the map), the first Black hospital in Broward County, along with Dr. James Sistrunk. Even though Provident hospital is now closed, the history lives on.
Also on the map is the home and business of Frank and Florence Ali, now known as the Ali Cultural Arts Center in Pompano Beach. The Ali’s were well known and opened one of the first Black-owned businesses in Dania and now their home serves as a hub of art, dance, music, and local Black history.
“The map was created to educate the community about important figures who contributed to the creation of Broward County,” according to a Broward County Transit press release.
