Dr. Enid Pinkney will be remembered as a woman who devoted her life to the Black community, making sure their past contributions were not forgotten in the conversation about Miami's history. She worked tirelessly to preserve landmarks around the city that celebrated Black life.
Dr. Pinkney died Wednesday at the age of 93. The cause of death was not released.
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"She believed in our community so much she preserved structures and places people thought didn’t deserve it. And because of her, we have better communities because we’ve taken those structures and we invested in things that bring life to our area," said City of Miami Commissioner Keon Hardemon.
Her activism didn't just benefit South Florida's Black community, but all communities. Dr. Pinkney was the first Black president of Dade Heritage Trust and Natives.
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"Her reach was not about one particular area. While she had a love of the black community. She was about preservation and heritage for everyone. She felt that was really important and you knew that by her work," said Connie Kinnard with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Dr. Pinkney played a key role in many preservation efforts including saving the Miami Circle in Downtown Miami from demolition.
One of her most recognizable moments was her success in stopping the demolition of the Historic Hampton House. The iconic building is known for hosting Civil Rights leaders like Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Historic Hampton House is now restored as a museum, thanks to Dr. Pinkney.
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She was also instrumental in sparing what was once South Florida's Black-only beach, Virginia Key Beach, from developers.
