Pompano’s Legacy of Powerful Black Women

Women’s History Month is celebrated in March. This year, the Pompano Beach chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity held a ceremony at Apollo Park honoring the women of Pompano Beach. Vice Mayor Beverly Perkins and City Commissioner Cyndy Floyd were in attendance. Decorative signs featuring the women of Pompano were also placed along Esther Rolle Avenue, a main thoroughfare in Northwest Pompano named after the acclaimed actress and Pompano native. Here are some notable black women in Pompano Beach’s history.

Anne Lois Weaver (1938-2004) was the co-owner of Playtown day care center with her husband Karl K. Weaver. Annie played a key role in opening the 7th Ave Family Center in Fort Lauderdale and the Pompano Adult Primary Care Center, which was renamed in her honor. The Annie L. Weaver Health Center is located at 2011 N.W. 3rd Ave.

Runette Lamone Hill Williams (1925-2019) was hired by renowned educator Mrs. Blanche Ely herself to teach at Coleman Elementary School, formerly knowns as Pompano Colored School. She was the first principal of Sanders Park Elementary.

Nellie Lee Ford Poitier (1924-1992) was the co-owner of L.C. Poitier Funeral Home, 317 N.W. 6th St., with her husband Llewellyn (L.C.) Poitier. L.C. died in 1967 and Nellie took over operations of the funeral home from that point on. She was also a home economics teacher for many years, making most of the dresses she wore to work. She even taught current Vice Mayor Beverly Perkins in a clothing technique course at Pompano High School.

(caption: L.C. and Nellie Poitier, courtesy of www.lcpoitierfuneralhome.com)

Florence Major Poitier Ali (1898-1982) Born in the Bahamas and raised in Cuba before she came over by boat to Pompano. Her and husband Frank Ali built the Ali Building, which was a hub of social activity including a rooming house, tailor, beauty salon, and barber shop. Today it is the Ali Cultural Arts Center, 353 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd., featuring special events, classes, workshops, and exhibitions. Florence Ali organized the Broward County Beauticians Association, had the first black female-owned beauty shop, and was inducted to the International Hairstyling Guild Hall of Fame in 1953. During the civil rights era she became an advocate for community relations and voting.

Caption: Ali Cultural Arts Building, courtesy of Sunny.org.

Hazel K. Armbrister (1931-2021) came to Pompano in the 1950s. She loved Pompano and grew to become a local historian. Her love of the city led her to save the Ali Cultural Arts Building, which was scheduled demolition in 2007. Inside the building is the Rock Road Historical Society, which she founded to educate residents about the wonder of Pompano. In 2017, the city appointed her as the official historian. She also taught for many years in Broward County.

Caption: Hazel Armbrister