Martin Ellis

“What I did learn is um, when they finally did integrate, that white people were no different or any better than black people, they were just people like everybody else. You know, the kids, that I went to school with because I had the opportunity to go to school with white kids, they were no smarter than black kids. I mean they were just children just like everybody else. So, what you really learn about racism is that racism is senseless, is ignorance. So, because people are basically people all, you know, regardless of the black, white, mixed or whatever. It's just that other people that are in control, or they have the authority to tell you what to do and what not to do. But once you overcome, those barriers. You learn that people are just people. Regardless so, to me integration was a great experience and it taught you that they were no different than you were. They were just humans just like you.”

“It is a historic designation for me whether its official or not. Because it was one of the most important black communities in Miami-Dade County. Because this is where people who moved out from Overtown, came to establish their homes. Like I said, we had the institutions, we had the Hampton House that you already know about, we had the Bethune Elementary School, I would consider that a historic site. My kindergarten where I attended because a lot of kids from the community that's where they had, they began their pre-K education. And like I said it was like a family type environment there in that community.”