Pompano Beach Civic Leader Alfonza Mcintosh Promotes Legacy for Black Pioneers

Summary

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If he has his way the historical contributions that Black pioneers made in Pompano Beach will not go unrecognized. Some of these families migrated South from Georgia and some came from the Bahamas in search of a better life for their families. Aside from the Mclntosh's some of those families include; the Ali's, Ely's, Brownlee's, Poitier's, Wiggins, Taylor's, Phillips, Mosely's, and Armbrister's many of whom owned their own businesses, educated their children, and built houses of worship throughout their communities. Buster and wife Minnie Mae Malone came to Pompano Beach in 1917. Now a widow, Minnie Mae 96, still lives in Pompano Beach.

"Because of the fact that the Pompano Beach Historical Society does not represent us - Blacks that came to Pompano from the early 1900's to now living west of the Florida East Coast (FEC) railroad and west of Dixie Highway we want to honor them," said Hazel Armbrister, a former educat-or and the historical group's president.

Throughout the late 40's, and 50's McIntosh transported migrant workers up and down the eastern seaboard by bus and by truck to do seasonal work picking whatever fruits and vegetables which needed harvesting. He often risked his on life by helping migrant workers escape from their bleak sharecropping existence in Georgia, seemingly with no way out, by sneaking them onto his trucks and bringing them southward to Florida. While engaging in this practice of "stealing away" for Black migrant workers it was not uncommon for whites to shoot at them during these daring escapes. McIntosh became known as the modern day Mr. Harriet Tubman. Once arriving in South Florida many Black families started bustling communities which featured many Black owned businesses including Dania Beach, Fort Lauderdale as well as Pompano Beach.

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Pompano Beach Civic Leader Alfonza Mcintosh Promotes Legacy for Black Pioneers

The real life story of Alfonza McIntosh's family could very well be a script for a Hollywood movie; complete with all the drama and excitement that movies are made off. However the characters in this story are real life everyday people who worked hard to overcome the vestiges of segregation.

Now...

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