MIAMI-DADE – Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, Chairman Jean Monestine, District 3 Commissioner Audrey M. Edmonson, the Board of County Commissioners and the Historic Hampton House Community Trust, Inc. cordially invite the public to attend the Grand Opening of the Historic Hampton House, “the former jewel of the South,” to see how it has been brought back to its former glory. The event will take place on May 8, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at the Historic Hampton House, 4240 N. W. 27th Avenue and the admission is free.
Among the special guests will be the two sons of Harry and Florence Markowitz, original owners of the Hampton House, attorney JerryMarkowitz and Dr. Robert L. Markowitz.
The Grand Opening is the result of fifteen years of working, planning, and cooperation among citizens, government, organizations and the corporate world to restore a landmark in Miami and a portion of its vibrant history. During the days of segregation the Hampton House was the bridge that brought the races together to plan strategies for sit-ins, demonstrations, and marches to protest segregation. The local chapter of CORE had its monthly meetings there. It was the place where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. first said his “I have a Dream Speech” before saying it in Washington, D. C. It was where Mohamed Ali had his victory party February 25, 1964, when he beat Sonny Liston. It was where Malcolm x proselytized Cassius Clay to the Islam Faith. A long list of political figures, athletes, musicians and entertainers, both black and white, as well as those involved with the Civil Rights movement at the local and national levels stayed at the Hampton House.
Frequent visitors were Joe Louis, Jackie Robinson, Althea Gibson, Roy Campanella, Ray Charles, Patti LaBelle, Stevie Wonder, Lena Horne, Milton Berle, Sam Cook, Berry Gordy, Frank Sinatra, Flip Wilson, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Nat King Cole, Nina Simone, LaVern Baker, and many others. Many of the entertainers would work on Miami Beach but they could not live there but found the Hampton house a place for respite from the work world.
The advent of integration affected the Hampton House’s business. By the 1970’s its prominence had begun to fade and it was closed in 1976. The opening of the Hampton House is a tribute to historic preservation and the commitment of a group of dedicated citizens and Miami-Dade County Government who have stayed the course of historic preservation.
