RICHES Mosaic Interface

New Exhibit: The Florida Epinal Cemetery Project

https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/exhibits/show/epinalcemeteryproject

Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial

Our project seeks to tell the stories of the US servicemen from Florida buried in the Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial in eastern France. The U.S. Army soldiers and airmen buried in Epinal gave their lives to secure the liberation of France and in the fight against N**i Germany in 1944 and 1945. Starting in 2015, and over the next several years, students in Dr. Amelia Lyons’ classes are writing biographies of the men from Florida to honor them, to learn the skills of historical research, and to bring their memory to a new generation in Florida and in France. Our project was inspired by the collaboration of Dr. Mary Louise Roberts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Association US Memory Grand Est France.

Why is the 5th Annual Sanford's Ride To Freedom a significant ride? This ride is in celebration of Florida's Emancipation Day. On May 20, 1865, enslaved people in our community were finally freed!

This ride will take you through some incredible black communities and historic buildings that help shape Central Florida.

💛Hopper Academy: Historic African American school built in 1906 in Georgetown, a community founded by early Black pioneers around 1870.

💛Georgetown: Established circa 1870 by early Black pioneers who settled east of Sanford Avenue and north of Celery Avenue. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2020.

💛Midway/Canaan City: A historic Black migrant settlement tied to Sanford’s celery boom of the 1920s, with roots dating back as early as 1865–1890. “Midway” referred to its location between two community wells on Sipes Avenue.

💛Goldsboro: Founded by William Clark in 1891, Goldsboro was the second African American incorporated city in the United States before being annexed by Sanford.

💛Crooms Academy: Founded in 1926 by Joseph N. Crooms as Seminole County’s first high school for African American students. Today, it serves as Crooms Academy of Information Technology.

💛Bookertown: Originally known as Monroe’s Colored Section, Bookertown was settled by African American railroad laborers in 1885 and named in honor of educator Booker T. Washington.

Additional Community Gems:

💛 Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB): A unique ride experience through the local airport, including the terminal curbside.

💛Sanford RiverWalk: A scenic multi-use trail along Lake Monroe that began as a sidewalk idea in 1995 and has become a major community destination.

😁And even more, profits from this ride will be donated to Get Sanford Cycling, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization created to empower children in the Sanford community to lead active, healthy lives through cycling.

⚠ https://ExperienceSanfordFL.com/RideToFreedom