By: Shayne Benowitz
Historic Overtown's History
At the turn of the century, Historic Overtown became a Black diaspora community of people from the South, the Bahamas, Cuba and other parts of the Caribbean who arrived in Miami to work on oil tycoon Henry Flagler’s railroad. During its heyday in the 1930s through the 1950s, Historic Overtown’s boom was like the Harlem Renaissance and the area was nicknamed Little Broadway. It was the place where stars like Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Josephine Baker not only performed, but also spent the night because of segregation laws. They headed “over town” after performing at nightclubs on Miami Beach. Today, Historic Overtown’s spirit lives on through its music, art and soul food, which you can discover by following our insider’s guide.