Dr. Marvin Dunn

1. Createspace is the publisher and the book may be ordered directly from the company. Go to Createspace.com/5876403 (For best benefit to the author please use this source.)

2. It is available on Amazon by title "A History of Florida:Through Black Eyes" or by author, Marvin Dunn.

3. For a signed copy, send check or money order for $39.99 payable to All Sunlight Consulting,Inc. at 8541 SW 181 Street, Palmetto Bay, Florida 33157. The price includes shipping. Your copy will be mailed by June 7, 2016.

Thank you for your interest in the book.

Dr. Marvin Dunn, 5/24/16

"I know Florida. I was born in Florida during the reign of Jim Crow and have lived to see black astronauts blasted into the heavens from Cape Canaveral. For three quarters of a century I have lived mostly in Florida. I have seen her flowers and her warts. This book is about both. People of African descent have been in Florida from the arrival of Ponce de Leon in 1513, yet our presence in the state is virtually hidden. A casual glance at most Florida history books depict African Americans primarily as laborers who are shown as backdrops to white history. The history of blacks in Florida has been deliberately distorted, omitted and marginalized. We have been denied our heroes and heroines. Our stories have mainly been left untold. This book lifts the veil from some of these stories and places African Americans in the very marrow of Florida history."

"This book was obviously based on years of intensive research and -- believe me I looked -- provided the most comprehensive source of information I found on the history of Black people in Miami during this era. It also was well-written and illustrated the complicated issues faced by Blacks who lived in a sort of anomaly of a city populated by both southern and northern Whites. I grew up in Miami during the era he writes about and was shocked to find out how much I didn't know about my home town. "

Florida has worked hard to cultivate its idyllic image as a sunny, pristine paradise. But beneath the outer garments of glitz, sun, and ocean are hidden deep secrets—secrets that have been intentionally buried beneath the sands of the former lynching capital of America.

When we teach our children about the horrors of the past, we do so in the hope that exposing the true nature of these atrocities will deter future generations from repeating them. This is Marvin Dunn’s impetus in writing The Beast in Florida, an unflinching and haunting look at the dark past of the Sunshine State. A symbolic embodiment of racial violence and hatred, “The Beast” openly prowled the nation between the Civil War and the civil rights movement. It reared its head for a variety of reasons—psychological, political, and economic—but the outcome was always brutal and often deadly. As we are reminded all too frequently, the Beast is not gone; it is merely bound up, waiting to loosen its chains.

From the bombing of Harry T. and Harriette Moore’s home on Christmas Day to Willie James Howard’s murder, from the Rosewood massacre to the Newberry Six lynchings, Dunn offers an encyclopedic catalogue of the Beast’s rampages in Florida. Instead of simply taking snapshots of incidents, Dunn provides context for a century’s worth of racial violence by examining communities over time. Crucial insights from interviews with descendants of both perpetrators and victims, as well as newspaper, police, and court reports of these events shape this study of Florida’s grim racial history. Rather than pointing fingers and placing blame, The Beast in Florida allows voices and facts to speak for themselves, facilitating a conversation on the ways in which racial violence changed both black and white lives forever.

Dunn—a Florida native who lived through some of the events described in this book—writes as an insider, adding previously unknown details to the historical record. This comprehensive and balanced look at racially motivated violence presents the underside of Florida history—a story of hatred and some of its deadly results. The result is a panorama of compelling human stories that challenges conceptions of what created and maintained the Beast.

Articles/Artículos

Teachers Angry With Black History Standards Descend on Florida School Board 8/16/2023 Newsweek: Marvin Dunn organized the protest, according to Deutsch. According to his profile on X, formerly Twitter, Dunn is a progressive Democrat and former naval officer-turned-historian and author who has been published extensively for his study of African history.

FLORIDA BLACK HISTORY HIGHLIGHTED IN UPCOMING ‘TEACH THE TRUTH’ TOUR  2/2/2023 South Florida Times: "The tour’s ?nal stop will be at the state Capitol in Tallahassee to protest the state’s rejection of the Advanced Placement studies course and other Black history events that are banned from the classrooms due to Stop WOKE legislation. Case in point, Dunn, 82, said his book, entitled “Florida through Black Eyes,” is not allowed to be discussed in Florida schools. "We are going to Tallahassee and hope the legislature listens to people, their parents and grandparents because they want to have a visible presence at the Capitol," Dunn told the South Florida Times. "That’s the main purpose of the tour.""

‘Teach the Truth:’ Black Professor Rebels Against DeSantis’ WOKE Law Restrictive Teachings on Race  1/25/2023 Business News: "Dunn has been guiding students on his “Teach the Truth” tour since DeSantis pressured him to ban African American studies. Dunn said, “We’re going to continue to teach it.” Post, “It is the antidote to the DeSantis-izing of history.” Dunn has already directed more than two dozen high school students and their families to the museum where civil rights activists couple Harry T Moore And Harriet VS Moore He was assassinated on Christmas 1951 by a bomb planted under his house."

FIU professor’s ‘Teach the Truth’ tours defy DeSantis law on black history lessons  1/23/2023 The Grio: "The Florida Department of Education rejected the College Board’s AP African American studies course earlier this month after finding it “significantly lacks educational value,” a decision the White House called “incomprehensible” Friday, The Washington Post reported. Marvin Dunn, 82, one of eight plaintiffs in a complaint concerning DeSantis’ Stop Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act, has been leading high school students on his “Teach the Truth” tour since Florida’s Republican governor began his mission to devalue Black studies."

FIU professor’s ‘Teach the Truth’ tours defy DeSantis law on black history lessons  1/23/2023 The Grio: "Marvin Dunn, 82, one of eight plaintiffs in a complaint concerning DeSantis’ Stop Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act, has been leading high school students on his “Teach the Truth” tour since Florida’s Republican governor began his mission to devalue Black studies."

The McDuffie Riots  5/11/2016 Miami Times: "“If the jury was half Black and half white would there have been a riot?” Dunn asked the room at HistoryMiami museum last week. “It was the most difficult thing I have seen in 75 years. It was worse than the 1926 hurricane. The hurricane damaged property. This damaged souls.”"

State park renamed for Broward Black pioneers  4/20/2016 Miami Times: "Marvin Dunn, a local historian and retired psychology professor, said the news out of Tallahassee earlier this month was a major feat. “The naming of state property for a Black person doesn’t happen often,” said Dunn, a local historian and retired psychology professor. “It’s a big win for Broward County.”"

#BlackLivesMatter ignores us, some mothers say  2/2/2016 Miami Times: "Marvin Dunn, a retired Florida International University psychology professor, understands that sentiment. He said other Black men cause more killings of young Black men, even though the police involved shootings trigger the large-scale protests that capture public attention. “I agree with these mothers. Far more Black lives are taken by other Blacks than are taken by the police,” Dunn said. “The tragedies of police shootings of Blacks is indeed a critical issue, but Black on Black violence is a far more serious problem. “If we want Black lives to matter to the police, they must matter even more to us.”

Marvin Dunn  3/1/2015 Vimeo

Understanding Afro-Cubans  2/4/2015 Miami Times: "The buzzwords at “A Village Dialogue: An Invitation from the Afro-Cuban Community” discussion are working together. The spirit of Cubans and Blacks working together comes to the forefront now that last month President Barack Obama decided to open up communications between the United States and Cuba. At the same time, panelists agreed that being Black should not be the thing that binds Blacks in America. “Skin color alone is not enough to bind a people together. We need to find cultural ties. We have to find ways to make that happen,” said Dr. Marvin Dunn, who authored “Black Miami in the Twentieth Century.”"

MLK Day celebration features history author  1/24/2014 Suncoast News: "The headliner was Marvin Dunn of Miami, whose book “The Beast in Florida: a History of Anti-Black Violence” is going for more than $100 on eBay and Amazon. The book, published in the spring of 2013 by the University Press of Florida, only had one printing, so copies are hard to come by. Dunn stayed afterward to sign those brought to the event."

Book review: 'The Beast in Florida: A History of Anti-Black Violence' by Marvin Dunn  10/6/2013 Florida Times Union: "Marvin Dunn’s “The Beast in Florida” is a subtle, Aristotelian evocation of a loathsome era in Florida and Southern history when white men — of all classes — were determined to keep black men, women and adolescents in “their place” through extra-legal violence and intimidation. Racism “commingled with perverted sexual fears and anxieties” is the psychological basis for the rage exhibited by lynchers and their supporters who, based upon photographic evidence, included women and children, says the retired chairman of the Department of Psychology at Florida International University…. The Rosewood incident has become familiar in recent years, and the survivors and their heirs have received some compensation from the state because officials admit they did not intervene until it was too late. Other sites of ethnic cleansing include Perry, Newberry, Ocoee and Groveland."

Casting Couch, Season 02 Episode 01: South Florida Author Dr. Marvin Dunn  7/10/2013 YouTube: "He is a Florida historian, legend, and an intricate part of Miami's landscape. As Resident Scholar of the Institute of Homeless Studies at Camillus House. Dr. Dunn began his career as a naval officer, serving from 1961 to 1967. He served as an officer aboard the aircraft carriers U.S.S Kitty Hawk and the U.S.S. Saratoga, and was the commander of the 14th Battalion, U.S. Naval Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois. On this show he discussed his latest book, The Beast in Florida: A History of Anti-Black Violence."

A look at violence against blacks in Florida  6/7/2013 Herald Tribune, Sarasota: "Dunn himself bought a few acres of land in Rosewood, land where the old railroad depot from which people were rescued once stood. "I wanted to have that piece of Rosewood land protected from private development," said Dunn."

Rosewood, Dr. Marvin Dunn, John Robinson, George Boston Rhynes and moving forward!  11/28/2012 George Boston Rhynes, YouTube: "Not reported to the citizens in Valdosta-Lowndes County but I am reporting it here to all American Citizens and around the world of the great work being done in Rosewood, Florida by citizens from Valdosta!"

The Black Miami: Black Influence in South Florida from the 1800s to the '80s Riots  5/24/2012 Miami New Times: "Carlton Smith: I met another producer, Michael Williams, through work, and we had talked about doing side projects together -- particularly, we wanted to do a documentary. He had been reading this book, Black Miami in the 20th Century, and he said it would make a really great documentary. I read the book myself, at which point we decided to take it on as a documentary project. We called the author of the book, Dr. Dunn, who lives in Florida and is a retired professor from FIU. We said that if he was on board, we would definitely do it. He joined us as an interviewee and an associate producer, which was a win-win."

The Black Miami: Black Influence in South Florida from the 1800s to the '80s Riots  5/24/2012 Miami New Times: "That's why the new documentary The Black Miami has piqued our interest. Based on Dr. Marvin Dunn's book, Black Miami in the 20th Century, the film describes the history and significance of blacks in South Florida. Regardless of your background, you're sure to be captivated by the stories of The Black Miami, many of which you've likely never heard."

Rosewood: The last survivor remembers an American tragedy  1/4/2012 The Grio: by Dr. Marvin Dunn - "This week marks the anniversary of one the most tragic events in black history — the Rosewood massacre — the result of rape accusations made by a white woman against a black man, which led to violent riots and the murder of several innocent African-Americans in January of 1923. To commemorate this event, historian Dr. Marvin Dunn interviews the last survivor of Rosewood and sheds new light on the event that still haunts African-Americans."

Marvin Dunn: Overtown's Farmer  11/24/2011 Miami New Times: "Where most people saw-grass-choked, glass-caked ghetto lots, Marvin Dunn saw an opportunity to create jobs for Miami's most unemployable. In spaces politicians thought would forever be needle-strewn fields shaded by crack houses, Dunn imagined rows of organic herbs and vegetables cooled by mango trees. Rather than give up on one of the Magic City's worst neighborhoods, Dunn started an urban farming collective right in the heart of Overtown, and even amid the economic free fall, his Roots of Hope project isn't just surviving — it's expanding to Coconut Grove in the near future."

The Famous Dr. Marvin Dunn, Back In Rosewood!  6/9/2011 George Boston Rhynes, YouTube: "On location in Rosewood, Florida and keeping you informed on what is happening while you and I live. We believe in your right to know!"

Outburst in Overtown  4/1/2011 Redland Rambles: "Yet market founder Dr. Marvin Dunn claimed he repeatedly called the city about the violation and didn’t get an answer. It got him hot under the collar, so he rounded up protesters and alerted the media. He said he got the certificate of use since the very beginning. The only solution he saw is to request a resolution from the city commission to allow his market to operate for six months at a time. But even that is politically uncertain, and as Dunn put it, “Who can run a market on a whim?”

Black Florida & Red Bays: Collections of Dr. Marvin Dunn  2/1/2011 FIU: Images of the experiences of Black Americans in Florida

Rosewood artifacts unearthed  7/4/2010 Ocala Star Banner: "Dunn's primary focus now is getting professional archaeologists to the site to examine the property. With a state grant, he will conduct more research, starting this month, through the nonprofit group Roots in the City, based in Miami."

City of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado Salutes Roots In The City Farmers Market  4/8/2010 The Genuine Kitchen: full Flickr photostream of the opening festivities!

VIDEO: Dr. Marvin Dunn Teaches Michael How to Cook Collards  4/7/2010 The Genuine Kitchen: "When Dr. Marvin Dunn asked Michael if he’d like to learn how to cook up some of the organic collard greens grown in his Roots In The City urban gardens, Chef didn’t hesitate. In fact, he jumped at the chance."

Inner-City Garden Plants New Hope in Miami Neighborhood  3/11/2010 VOA News: "As a university professor in Miami, Florida, Marvin Dunn launched an inner-city garden to give his students an outlet for volunteer activity. Now his vision has grown into a year-round urban farm that produces scores of vegetables and fruits. VOA's Brian Wagner has more in our latest edition of Making a Difference."

Inner-City Garden Plants New Hope in Miami Neighborhood  3/9/2010 VOA: "As a university professor in Miami, Florida, Marvin Dunn launched an inner-city garden to give his students an outlet for volunteer activity. Now his vision has grown into a year-round urban farm that produces scores of vegetables and fruits. Marvin Dunn grew up in Overtown, a historical black neighborhood in Miami. He knows it once saw brighter days. "Overtown was a popular, healthy, wonderful place to live," said Marvin Dunn. "There was no unemployment here. And then over the years the community declined."

CONFRONTING CUBA'S FUTURE HEALING RACIAL RIFTS IS KEY, BLACK PANELIST SAYS  11/3/1998 Miami Herald: "Moore, along with author Enrique Patterson, Alberto Jones, executive director of the Caribbean-American Children Foundation, Florida International University psychology professor Marvin Dunn, and Winston Hale, head of the Caribbean Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Miami, told the audience of 125 that the future of Cuba and the Cuban-American community depends on confronting Cuban racial schisms that have been subordinated and denied for generations."

Dr. Marvin Dunn
Historian, Organizer

Bibliography/Bibiliografía

Articles/Artículos

Links/Enlaces

Contacting AfroCubaWeb

Copyright © 1997-2013 AfroCubaWeb, S.A.

Dr. Marvin Dunn Historian, Organizer

Bibliography/Bibiliografía

Articles/Artículos

Links/Enlaces

Contacting AfroCubaWeb

Copyright © 1997-2013 AfroCubaWeb, S.A.

Dr. Marvin Dunn
Historian, Organizer