The story begins in 1896. This was the year the City of Miami was founded with approximately one-third of the signatures of the city charter being black men (which was no accident considering their predominant role in the early building of the city). Segregation became a day-to-day reality throughout the South. It was this reality that systematically excluded all people of color from Dade County’s most famous attraction, its miles of beaches.
Virginia Key Beach quickly became a cherished getaway, social gathering place, and even a sacred site for religious services. The beach included such amenities as large shaded picnic areas with barbecue pits, cottages, a boat ramp and the famous Mini-Train and Carousel rides. With its lush windswept palms and inviting beach, Virginia Key lured thousands to this tropical paradise. Though the beach remained segregated throughout the 1950’s, it was not a factor for many new Caribbean, South American, and Cuban immigrants found Virginia Key Beach to be either the only beach that they too could visit, or the beach they preferred.