{"id":395425,"date":"2026-09-10T02:33:19","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T02:33:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/395425\/"},"modified":"2026-09-10T02:33:19","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T02:33:19","slug":"marking-millionaires-row-um-students-design-markers-to-preserve-liberty-citys-black-history-local-news-updates-the-miami-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/395425\/","title":{"rendered":"Marking Millionaire’s Row: UM students design markers to preserve Liberty City\u2019s Black history | Local News & Updates | The Miami Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Across from Liberty Square in Liberty City,<\/a> a historic corridor once flourished. During segregation, when discriminatory housing policies restricted where Black families could live, Miami\u2019s wealthy Black entrepreneurs and civic leaders built grand homes along Northwest 67th Street. Built between 1947 and 1953, the area became known as Millionaire\u2019s Row.<\/p>\n

Today, University of Miami graduate architecture students are helping revive this overlooked history, one custom-designed marker at a time.<\/p>\n

The first marker was installed outside the historic 1947 Mediterranean-style Lindsey residence. For Jacqui Colyer, who bought the Lindsey House with her sister in 2019 after having admired it since childhood, the project addresses an urgent crisis: historic Black spaces are vanishing far faster than public institutions recognize them.<\/p>\n

\"Lindsey<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A custom marker designed by UM architecture students, placed in front of the Lindsey residence on Millionaire’s Row.\u00a0<\/p>\n

(Amelia Orjuela Da Silva for the Miami Times)<\/p>\n

\u201cNot enough of our spaces or Black spaces of historical significance are really recognized, even given some type of honor and tribute,\u201d Colyer said. \u201cGentrification is slowly taking away this community, and it will be gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

For students Adia-Simone Rhoden and Hanah Badran, the project offered an education extending well beyond architectural drawings.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust working on the Millionaire\u2019s Row project in itself has been like a great opportunity \u2014 being able to go out into the community, learn about history that I didn\u2019t even know about because we don\u2019t learn all of these things in school,\u201d Rhoden said. \u201cThis environment allows us to learn things as well as teach other people about history that needs to be known.\u201d<\/p>\n

The students completed the work through UM\u2019s Community Housing and Identity Lab (CHIL<\/a>). Founded in 2019 by Associate Professor Germane Barnes \u2014 who also directs the award-winning research and design practice Studio Barnes<\/a> \u2014 CHIL provides pro bono design assistance to communities that cannot afford conventional architectural services.<\/p>\n

\"architecture<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

(L-R) Hanah Badran and Adia-Simone Rhoden master\u2019s students in architecture at UM.\u00a0<\/p>\n

(Amelia Orjuela Da Silva for the Miami Times)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ultimate goal is creating a hub for students who want to do community-oriented design and have a practice that is more rooted in the social politics of architecture and its impact on the built environment,\u201d Barnes said. \u201cThey\u2019re able to get real-world experience while they\u2019re here within the school.\u201d<\/p>\n

CHIL has previously partnered with the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami on a children\u2019s play structure modeled after historic shotgun houses, as well as a community garden in Delray Beach\u2019s historically Black neighborhood, The Set.<\/p>\n

Designing from history<\/p>\n

The collaboration began in summer 2025 after Sheila Wamble, executive director of Arts for Learning, introduced Barnes to Colyer. Colyer wanted a recognizable memorial for the corridor but lacked the funding for a commercial architect. Barnes agreed to take on the project with his students.<\/p>\n

\u201cI care a lot about Liberty City, even though I\u2019m not from Miami,\u201d said Barnes, a Chicago native. \u201cI\u2019ve done so much work here; I feel like a part of that community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rhoden, a master\u2019s student from Queens, New York, joined the project immediately, followed by Badran, an international master\u2019s student from Cairo, Egypt. The students met with Colyer, toured the neighborhood and reviewed historical books, photographs and archival materials.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring that process, the goal was to kind of understand the history because if we didn\u2019t really understand it, then how could we design something for the neighborhood?\u201d Rhoden said.<\/p>\n

\"Historic<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A historic photo of the Lindsey residence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

(Liberty City Historic Survey Plusurbia and Dade Heritage Trust)<\/p>\n

During segregation, middle- and upper-middle-class Black business leaders built luxurious mansions along Northwest 67th Street between Northwest 12th and 14th Avenues. The corridor included the Lindsey, Banister, and Sarah Thompson residences, among others, and several prominent churches like the Liberty City Church of Christ.<\/p>\n

The Lindsey residence was built for Ellis \u201cPeaches\u201d Lindsey and his wife Anne. Ellis accumulated wealth through real estate, businesses and bolita, an underground lottery popular in Black and Cuban communities before Florida\u2019s state lottery. He was shot outside the house in 1948.<\/p>\n

\"Liberty<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Liberty City Church of Christ on Millionaire’s Row. \/\u00a0<\/p>\n

(Liberty City Historic Survey Plusurbia and Dade Heritage Trust)<\/p>\n

The students expanded their research beyond the house, examining Overtown, Brownsville, the segregation wall along Northwest 12th Avenue, and the displacement caused by discriminatory housing policies and I-95 construction. For Badran and Rhoden, that history was completely new.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve learned how to dive deep into research and understand the history of the people and the community before you start dropping ideas and designs,\u201d Rhoden said.<\/p>\n

That methodology reflects Barnes\u2019 approach to design.<\/p>\n

\"UM\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

(L-R) CHIL Director and Associate Professor Germane Barnes, along with UM students Hanah Badran and Adia-Simone Rhoden.\u00a0<\/p>\n

(Amelia Orjuela Da Silva for the Miami Times)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way we teach architecture at the University of Miami is it\u2019s people first, building second,\u201d Barnes said. \u201cYou can\u2019t remove the anthropological implications of architectural interventions because, eventually, someone has to live in those spaces and a city has to change because of those spaces.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added:\u00a0\u201cWhenever they\u2019re designing something in a place, it needs to reflect that place, and those places have identities.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Smith's<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Dennis Smith’s residence in the present day.\u00a0<\/p>\n

( Liberty City Historic Survey Plusurbia and Dade Heritage Trust)<\/p>\n

Every CHIL proposal undergoes a public feedback loop with the client.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a reciprocal process,\u201d Barnes said. \u201cThat methodology makes better architects because you recognize you\u2019re in service of a larger community than yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

A marker inspired by music<\/p>\n

\"Students\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Students in the process of making the marker at the CHIL Lab.\u00a0<\/p>\n

(Courtesy of CHIL students)<\/p>\n

The first marker focuses on the Lindsey residence, a house rich in cultural history. According to Colyer, Ellis helped fund a local Black credit union to assist residents with home financing, while Anne was a renowned socialite whose gatherings drew iconic figures. Cab Calloway, Blanche Calloway and Nat King Cole performed at the home, while Josephine Baker and boxer Joe Louis were frequent guests.<\/p>\n

\u201cMusic was part of everything that went from Liberty City,\u201d Colyer said. \u201cI mean, music, music, music.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"History<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The marker’s text explains its history.\u00a0<\/p>\n

(Amelia Orjuela Da Silva for the Miami Times)<\/p>\n

That legacy inspired the students\u2019 concept.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest thing we came to was the concept of sound,\u201d Rhoden said. \u201cThe sound of violence, the sound of community, the sound of laughter, the sound of music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Badran initially envisioned a standard historical sign.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought, OK, a marker that says Millionaire\u2019s Row, make it pretty. But no, you really learn to look into the history of the project, the people you\u2019re helping, and then that guides your design.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Paris,<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A slide from the proposal presented to Jacqui Colyer about making the marker in the form of a sound wave honoring Josephine Baker’s song “Paris, Paris.”\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

(Courtesy of CHIL students )<\/p>\n

The marker\u2019s form resembles the sound wave of Josephine Baker\u2019s song \u201cParis, Paris.\u201d A friend of Anne, Baker often stayed at the Lindsey residence and the Hampton House during segregation in Miami. She also used her international fame and status to challenge discrimination by refusing to perform at venues that would not integrate.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The marker\u2019s bright orange color, inspired by the orange and clay-colored doors in Liberty Square, was intensified to attract pedestrians.<\/p>\n

\"Marker<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The back of the marker.\u00a0<\/p>\n

(Amelia Orjuela Da Silva for the Miami Times)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe transformed this history and the story into a beautiful marker,\u201d Badran said.<\/p>\n

Bringing the design to life required structural budgeting, full-scale modeling, and coordination with fabricators. After an early iteration stalled, Colyer allowed the team the space to refine their work.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat she [Colyer] provided the most is a platform to experiment, but also a platform to fail,\u201d Barnes said. \u201cUnfortunately, many times young people and young people of color don\u2019t always get the chance to fail \u2014 they have to be perfect. She provided the students with grace to find their footing and their voice.\u201d<\/p>\n

The final shop drawings were completed in February, followed by fabrication through May. Barnes required the students to execute the installation themselves. Working with concrete, Rhoden and Badran installed the structure in a single day.<\/p>\n

Preserving history<\/p>\n

\"Part<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Part of the marker resembles musical notes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

(Amelia Orjuela Da Silva for the Miami Times)<\/p>\n

For Colyer, the project’s urgency stems from how quickly traditional preservation routes move compared to modern development. Government approvals for official historical markers can take years, while neighborhood landscapes change overnight.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Black community was so resilient that it actually figured out a way to claim a space and make it special,\u201d Colyer said. \u201cI know that we have to move quickly because our neighborhoods are changing so quickly in front of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seeing the first marker installed moved Colyer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you read the lettering on the marker, it\u2019s absolutely beautiful,\u201d she said. \u201cThe next generation needs to know that there was a resilient, strong and powerful community of people that lived here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The experience left a lasting imprint on the students. Rhoden has since led community walking tours sharing the history of the Lindsey House, while Badran guided her visiting parents through Liberty City to explain its heritage.<\/p>\n

While custom markers cannot legally shield properties from demolition, Rhoden believes making history visible is an essential first step.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver time, it will let the city and people in the area understand how important this history is to preserve,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"Church<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Church of God Tabernacle on Millionaire’s Row.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Liberty City Historic Survey Plusurbia and Dade Heritage Trust)<\/p>\n

Future markers along the corridor will depend on property owner participation. Two local churches have already expressed interest, and Colyer is partnering with Roots Bookstore and Market<\/a> to develop historical tours of the corridor.<\/p>\n

For Barnes, the project provides validation without overstepping.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re not really here trying to force someone to view the neighborhood in the way that we view it, and I think that comes to the nuance of why the marker is so important because for those that do hold it in such reverence, it’s credibility that this was an amazing place and it still is an amazing place,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n


\n
\n Close <\/p>\n

\"Hanah
\n \"\"<\/p>\n

Hanah Badran and Adia-Simone Rhoden placing the marker at the historic home.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Adia-Simone
\n \"\"<\/p>\n

Adia-Simone Rhoden standing next to the newly placed marker in front of the Lindsey residence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"2026
\n \"\"<\/p>\n

An August 2026 view of the Lindsey residence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Jacqui
\n \"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cThe next generation needs to know that there was a resilient, strong and powerful community of people that lived here.\u201d -Jacqui Colyer<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Hanah<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Hanah Badran and Adia-Simone Rhoden placing the marker at the historic home.\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Adia-Simone<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Adia-Simone Rhoden standing next to the newly placed marker in front of the Lindsey residence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"2026<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

An August 2026 view of the Lindsey residence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Jacqui<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe next generation needs to know that there was a resilient, strong and powerful community of people that lived here.\u201d -Jacqui Colyer<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Across from Liberty Square in Liberty City, a historic corridor once flourished. During segregation, when discriminatory housing policies…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":395426,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[72545,157716,18875,157705,9316,157715,157710,157713,157711,225,227,226,157706,157718,41806,157707,157702,157714,157712,123,13274,157701,157719,157703,157704,157717,157708,157709],"class_list":["post-395425","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-hialeah","tag-african-american-history","tag-black-entrepreneurs-in-miami-history","tag-black-heritage-preservation","tag-black-historic-homes-miami","tag-black-history","tag-black-homeownership-in-miami","tag-community-housing-and-identity-lab","tag-ellis-peaches-lindsey","tag-germane-barnes","tag-hialeah","tag-hialeah-headlines","tag-hialeah-news","tag-historic-black-neighborhoods-miami","tag-historical-markers-for-black-communities","tag-liberty-city","tag-liberty-city-historic-preservation","tag-liberty-city-history","tag-liberty-square-history","tag-lindsey-house-miami","tag-miami","tag-miami-black-history","tag-millionaires-row","tag-millionaires-row-historical-marker","tag-millionaires-row-miami","tag-northwest-67th-street-miami","tag-preserving-black-history-in-liberty-city","tag-university-of-miami-architecture","tag-university-of-miami-graduate-architecture-students"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/395425","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=395425"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/395425\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/395426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=395425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=395425"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=395425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}