Dana A. Dorsey facts for kids

Dana Albert "D. A." Dorsey (1872–1940) was a very successful businessman, banker, and generous helper of his community. He became one of the first African-American millionaires in Florida and the American South.

Early Life and Learning

Dana Albert Dorsey was born in Quitman, Georgia. His parents had been slaves, but he was the first child in his family born free. He only went to school until the fourth grade. After that, he taught himself everything he needed to know.

Building a Business and Helping Others

Dorsey moved to the Miami area of South Florida around 1896. He started working as a carpenter for the Henry Flagler Florida East Coast Railroad. He noticed that there weren't enough homes for black workers.

So, he began buying small pieces of land in Overtown. On each piece, he designed and built a house to rent out. He used the money he earned from rent to build even more houses. His business grew, and he built homes as far north as Fort Lauderdale.

Creating Community Spaces

In 1917, Dorsey and his wife Rebecca sold land to the City of Miami. This land became a park for African-Americans, because at that time, public places were separated by race. This park is called Dorsey Park and is located on Northwest 17th Street and First Avenue.

In 1919, Dorsey sold Fisher Island to a car pioneer named Carl G. Fisher. Fisher was working on developing Miami Beach. Later, in 1926, Fisher traded part of Fisher Island to William Kissam Vanderbilt II. Today, Fisher Island is a very wealthy and exclusive place to live.

Dorsey was also a leader at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Overtown. He owned the Dorsey Hotel, which was the first hotel in Miami owned by a black person. He also owned the Negro Savings Bank. Dorsey strongly believed in education. He gave away a lot of land to build schools for black students.

His Lasting Impact

When Dana Dorsey passed away in 1940, flags were lowered across Miami to honor him. He was buried in Lincoln Memorial Park, which was Miami's African-American cemetery during the time of segregation.

He gave land to Dade County Public Schools for a high school. This school, built at NW 71st Street and 17th Avenue, was named Dorsey High School. Today, it is known as the D. A. Dorsey Educational Center. It is a well-known adult education center in the Liberty City area of Miami.

Lincoln Memorial Park – Mausoleum of Dana A Dorsey

The Dorsey Memorial Library

The Dorsey Memorial Library as of November 2013, before it was restored

Dana Anderson Dorsey is often called Miami's first black millionaire. He kept investing the money he earned from renting houses into building more properties. This helped him play a key role in creating a new library named after him. He even owned 21 acres of what is now Fisher Island near Miami Beach at one point. Just fifteen days before he died, Dorsey donated the land for the library.

Besides Dorsey's land donation, local groups like the Washington Heights Neighborhood Association and the Friendship Garden Club raised money for construction. The City of Miami also gave $7,000 to help meet the building deadline. The Dorsey Memorial Library opened in 1941. It was the second library to serve the African-American community and is in Overtown.

This library was the first building the city owned that was built specifically for library use. It served the community for two decades. The building was simple, with one story and two sections. One section was for adults and the other for children. It started with about 2,000 books. In 1961, the Dorsey Library moved to a bigger location and was renamed the Dixie Park Branch Library. Later, in 1983, it was renamed the Culmer/Overtown Branch Library.

The Dorsey Memorial Library is important because of its history. It shows how segregation affected Miami. The building was very important for educating many African-American citizens in Overtown (which was first called 'Colored Town'). During that time, there were not many good educational choices for them. Often, the African-American community had to create their own schools, parks, and churches.

In 2003, the City of Miami declared the Dorsey Memorial Library a historical place. At that time, the building was in poor condition. In 2016, a lawsuit was filed against the City of Miami because they were not taking care of the library. The building was seen as a possible fire or storm danger. On January 17, 2018, city leaders held a special ceremony to celebrate the start of the building's restoration.

Gallery

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  Dana Dorsey Boulevard

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  Dana Dorsey Boulevard, looking north, Miami, Overtown

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  Dana Dorsey House in Overtown Miami

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  Dana Dorsey Memorial Park - Baseball Field

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  Dana Dorsey Memorial Park

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  Dana Dorsey Memorial Library in 2017

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  Dana Dorsey Memorial Library in 2017 - Before Restoration

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  Library with partially completed roof and windows - June 2018