Remembering Rosewood
Florida decided in 2004 that Rosewood should be a Florida Heritage Landmark. A historical marker on State Road 24 describes the violence and events that occurred at Rosewood, as well the names of some of the victims. Many descendants of those who survived founded the Rosewood Heritage Foundation and the Real Rosewood Foundation, as well as a mobile exhibit that travels internationally to help share and spread the history of Rosewood.
The town of Rosewood still has a few scattered buildings left, though damaged, burnt, and worn. There are also still debris where other structures stood. The official report on the Rosewood Massacre totaled 6 blacks and 2 whites dead. Many historians disagree on this number. According to stories of the survivors and witnesses, there were as many as 27 deaths at Rosewood. Some even believe that they saw mass graves of black men and women. However, the witnesses were either too elderly to remember where it was they saw this to be confirmed or died before authorities could investigate further. A permanent display of the Rosewood Massacre is housed in the library of Bethune Cookman University in Daytona Beach. |