Film to educate residents on Ocoee massacre

Ask lifelong residents of Ocoee about the 1920 Ocoee Massacre, and, chances are, most of them have heard the stories. But there are so many new folks in the city, William Maxwell reasons, that most of them probably don’t know the details, and there are some who have never heard of the tragic and historical event.

Several peace and justice groups are collaborating to present a program that includes a screening of the award-winning short film “Ocoee: Legacy of the Election Day Massacre.” It takes place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12, at Ocoee High School.

The program also is being presented at Valencia College’s east, west and Osceola campuses and at Seminole State College; in two Winter Park locations; and in the Parramore neighborhood of Orlando.

Maxwell is past chairman of the city of Ocoee Human Relations Diversity Board and has lived in Ocoee for almost 23 years.

“The Peace and Justice Institute at Valencia College has embarked upon an educational process to try and educate the public on the historical significance of the 1920 election-day massacre that took place 98 years ago,” Maxwell said. “We thought it was a pretty good gesture to go to the different communities, present the film and answer questions and educate people on what really did happen.”

On Nov. 2, 1920, two black residents, Mose Norman and July Perry, tried to vote in Ocoee and were turned away by members of the white community. An argument ensued, and the two men left. Norman returned with a shotgun, and this angered the white people, who formed a mob and began burning black-owned buildings and residences.

Perry was hanged, members of the black community fled or were killed, and Ocoee became an all-white city for the next 61 years.

Following the film, a discussion panel consisting of a scholar, Valencia College history professor Heather Bryson; Maxwell; and a historian will talk about the racial incident and look at its impact on local race relations.

Funding for the program, “1920 Ocoee Massacre and Beyond: Paths to Truth and Reconciliation,” was provided through a grant from the Florida Humanities Council with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The event is presented by Bridge the Gap Coalition, Florida Humanities Council, Hannibal Square Heritage Center, National Endowment for the Humanities, Equal Justice Initiative Orange County Task Force and Valencia College’s Peace and Justice Institute.

The film was made at least a decade ago by a group of researchers, Maxwell said, but is still as important today as it was then.

“There are probably 41,000 or more people in the city of Ocoee, and my guesstimate is that less than 30% in Ocoee have any knowledge of what took place in the city,” he said. “All of the new people who are here, you mention the 1920 massacre that happened in Ocoee and they have a puzzled look on their face.”