Documenting Goombay and Little Bahamas

Explore the history and daily life of a South Florida community through photographs that capture moments of celebration and everyday experience. This exhibition presents images of Coconut Grove’s historically Bahamian neighborhoods and Coral Gables, taken during the 2024 Goombay Festival and a January 2025 neighborhood photo walk.

Documenting Goombay and Little Bahamas opens with a reception on Sunday, June 1 at 136 Frow Ave. in Coral Gables. The photographs on view were taken by local volunteers and community members, highlighting cultural traditions, public gatherings, and significant sites within the area’s historically Black and Bahamian communities.

Developed by the Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab at Florida International University, the exhibition was supported by a 2024 Community Collections Grant from the American Folklife Center of the U.S. Library of Congress. Part of a broader series of public programs, the project honors the legacy of early residents while documenting the living history of Little Bahamas today.