Garth C. Reeves Sr. facts for kids
Garth Coleridge Reeves Sr. (born February 12, 1919 – died November 25, 2019) was an important newspaper publisher and a strong voice for African Americans in Miami, Florida. He led The Miami Times newspaper from 1970 to 1994. After that, he was named Publisher Emeritus, which means he held an honored title even after retiring. In 2017, he was recognized for his work and inducted into the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Hall of Fame.
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Early Life and Challenges
Garth Reeves was born in Nassau, Bahamas. When he was just four months old, his family moved to the United States. He grew up in Miami's historic neighborhoods of Overtown and Liberty City.
His childhood experiences with racism helped shape him into the activist he became during the Civil Rights Era. For example, he remembered being in the Boy Scouts in 1935, when Jim Crow laws meant Black people couldn't use public swimming pools or beaches. This made it impossible for him to earn certain badges that required swimming lessons. He and his friends even sold newspapers to raise money for a special scouting event for Black scouts in Jacksonville.
The only job Mr. Reeves ever had, besides serving in the segregated Army during World War II, was at his father's newspaper. His father started the paper in 1923. Garth worked there from high school until he retired in 1994.
He also attended Florida A&M University, which is a historically Black college and university, before joining the Army. After fighting for freedom in Europe during World War II, he returned home to find racism still strong. This made him feel sad and disappointed.
Leading The Miami Times
Garth Reeves came back to Miami in 1946. His father, Henry E. Sigismund Reeves, was running The Miami Times. This newspaper was created for the Black community. Garth's father had traditional views and didn't support actions like the bus boycotts that Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was promoting. However, Garth had a different view, especially after fighting for freedom overseas.
Garth worked in every role at the newspaper. His hard work helped The Miami Times grow a lot during the 1950s and 1960s. He used the paper to fight against unfair segregation laws.
Fighting for Equal Access
In 1949, Black people were not allowed to play at public golf courses during the week. They could only play on Mondays, which was the day the sprinklers were on. Garth and his friends decided to play on a Wednesday. They then filed a lawsuit, arguing that they paid taxes for the golf courses and should be allowed to use them. After a seven-year court case, they won! This led to the desegregation of the Miami Springs golf course in 1959.
Mr. Reeves also fought for beach access. In 1957, he and other Black leaders took their tax bills to a meeting with white officials. They declared, "We're law-abiding, tax-paying citizens, and we're going swimming this afternoon at Crandon Park." When they arrived at the beach, police were waiting. However, the men were eventually allowed to briefly swim. From that day on, Black people could swim at all the beaches.
A Voice for the Community
While Garth Reeves didn't always agree with Martin Luther King Jr.'s non-violence approach, he faithfully reported on the Civil Rights Movement in The Miami Times. Fighting against inequality was his passion. His newspaper became his platform. People called his editorials the "CONSCIENCE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY." He often used different words than other newspapers to describe events. For example, he called events that others called "riots" "protests" or "rebellion." He believed these words better showed the community's frustration with ongoing police brutality.
He also encouraged social causes and supported political candidates through his newspaper. Dorothy Jenkins Fields, who founded the Black Archives, History and Research Foundation of South Florida, said, "He was not afraid and he was not intimidated. He was dedicated to uplifting the race."
As he became managing editor, The Miami Times pushed for the power of the Black vote. Garth Reeves also built relationships with white business leaders in downtown Miami, joining the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce in 1968. He worked with charities like the United Way and the Boy Scouts, showing his commitment to the community.
When his father passed away in 1970, Garth inherited the newspaper. The Miami Times helped him build his wealth, which he invested in bank stock and real estate. He even owned a part of Miami’s Bayside Marketplace.
Mr. Reeves became a lifelong member of the NAACP. He also helped found Miami’s Episcopal Church of the Incarnation. His calls to action in the community matched what he wrote in the Times. He made sure the newspaper stayed in the family. Today, his grandson, Garth Basil, leads the digital edition of The Miami Times. His daughter, Rachel, had been the publisher before her passing in 2019, taking over from her father in 1994.
Publisher Emeritus and Legacy
Garth Reeves retired from daily operations in 1994 but remained active in community affairs well into his 90s. In 2017, he was inducted into the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Hall of Fame. He told The Miami Times that it felt good to be recognized by his peers.
City and county leaders honored him in 2017 by naming Northwest Sixth Street "Garth C. Reeves Way." In 2019, the City of Miami Commission also honored him on his 100th birthday.
Death
After his daughter Rachel passed away in September 2019, Garth Reeves' health declined. He died two months later, on November 25, 2019, at his home in Aventura, Florida, due to complications from pneumonia. He was 100 years old.
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