Historic Sites

Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum
(480 NW 11th Street, 305-329-2513)

Built in 1950 and designated a historic site by the City of Miami in 2002, the “Colored Police Precinct and Courthouse” was built specifically to provide segregated headquarters for Miami’s “Colored Patrol Officers” and “Colored City Judge.” In 1962, the precinct was closed and the 79 black officers were integrated into the Main Headquarters.

Booker T. Washington Senior High School
(1200 NW 6th Avenue)

Booker T. Washington Senior High School, opened in 1926, is the second oldest public high school built for Blacks in Dade County. The school was converted to a middle school 1967 to help desegregate the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. In 1999, the school was converted back to a high school to relieve overcrowding. In 2003, the original building was torn down and replaced by a modern building.

Chapman House
(1200 NW 6th Avenue)

The Chapman Hous was built in 1923 and designated a historic site by the City of Miami in 1983. Dr. William A. Chapman, Miami’s first Black medical doctor, was appointed by the Florida Department of Health to travel throughout Florida to schools, churches, and homes presenting information on the causes and treatment of communicable diseases.

City of Miami Cemetery
(1800 NE 2nd Avenue)

The City of Miami Cemetery was purchased 1897. Whites were buried in the eastern portion and Blacks in a section to the west. The graves of local Black leaders include: Reverend Theodore Gibson, Judge L.E. Thomas, and A.C. Lightburn.

Dorsey House
(250 NW 9th Street)

Built for his bride in 1915 by the area’s first black millionaire, real estate magnate D.A. Dorsey, the Dorsey House is now owned by the Black Archives. It was designated a historic site by the City of Miami in 1983 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

Lyric Theater
(819 NW 2nd Avenue)

Built in 1913 by Black businessman Geder Walker, the theater showcased stage and film performances, gospel, jazz, vaudeville and literary arts of the Harlem Renaissance. The theater is now owned by The Black Archives. It was designated a historic site by the City of Miami in 1988 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

Ninth Street Pedestrian Mall
(Northwest 9th Street and 2nd Avenue)

Dedicated in 1994, the Ninth Street Pedestrian Mall was designed by artist Gary Moore and features vibrant variations in color resembling Africant Kente cloth patterns. The mall presents a luscious landscape and ornate street fixtures.

Ward Rooming House Gallery
(249 NW 9th Street)

The Historic Ward Rooming House Gallery, built in 1925, was a resting place and safe haven for both Blacks and Native Americans in Miami. The building is now a historic landmark and serves as an art gallery and exhibition hall. It was designated a historic site by the City of Miami in 2006.

X-Ray Clinic
(171 NW 11th Street)

The X-Ray Clinic was constructed in 1939 and designated a historic site by the City of Miami in 1984. Dr. Samuel H. Johnson was the first black physician in South Florida to establish a radiological practice. Dr. Johnson’s brother, John Johnson (Miami’s second black municipal judge), practiced law from the X-Ray Clinic between 1947 and 1955, and met there with Thurgood Marshall in 1949.