THe razing of rosewood
On Jan 1, 1923, a group of white vigilantes dragged Sam Cater from the home of the Carriers and into the nearby woods. They torchered him and threw accusations at him. To the surprise of many witnesses, an unknown person pulled a gun and shot Sam in the face. They then hung his body from a tree and some people went so far as to tear pieces of his cloths off as souvenirs. Sheriff Walker attempted to disperse the mob to no avail. Many residence of Rosewood fled to the Carriers for protection, as they were one of the most wealthy and powerful families in the town. However the angry mob surrounded the Carrier house and a gunfight ensued after someone fired a weapon. Sarah Carrier was shot in the head. However the white mob did not overtake the house. By the morning Sylvester Carrier was also found dead; many others wounded, including a child shot in the eye. Two white men C.P. Wilkerson and Henry Andrews were also killed and four others were wounded. The remaining children in the house were evacuated through the back door into the woods and escaped.
News of the gunfight caused white men from all across Florida to join the violent group. The posse then proceeded to burn all of the African American churches in Rosewood. Black families were now fleeing through swamp areas and forests. Some were in such a panic, they only wore pajamas. The acts of the group became more violent as they doused homes with kerosene and set them on fire while firing upon those who fled from the flames. James Carrier, Sarah's son and Sylvester's brother, sought refuge with a white woman in her house. He was soon found by the mob and forced to dig his own grave before being fatally shot. |