Liberty City (Miami) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Liberty City
Neighborhood of Miami
Liberty City mural
Nickname(s):  Model City (historic name)
The Liberty City neighborhood in Miami
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Miami-Dade County
City	Miami
Elevation	3 m (10 ft)
Population  (2010)
• Total	19,725
• Density	3,733/km2 (9,669/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-05 (EST)
ZIP Code	33125, 33127, 33142, 33147, 33150
Area code(s)	305, 786

Liberty City is a neighborhood in Miami, Florida, United States. It is known for being home to many African Americans in South Florida. People who live there often call it Liberty City, even though the city government sometimes calls it "Model City."

The neighborhood is generally located between NW 79th Street to the north and NW 27th Avenue to the west. The Airport Expressway is to the south, and Interstate 95 is to the east. You can get around Liberty City using the Miami Metrorail. It has stations at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza and Brownsville.

History of Liberty City

Liberty City started to grow during the Great Depression in the 1930s. President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved building the Liberty Square housing project in 1933. This was the first project of its kind in the Southern United States.

Early Development and Growth

Construction on Liberty Square began in 1934 and it opened in 1937. It was built to help people living in crowded areas like Overtown. In the 1940s and 1950s, Liberty City and nearby Brownsville became strong middle-income Black American communities. They had many churches, hospitals, and community centers.

Famous people like Kelsey Pharr and M. Athalie Range lived here. M. Athalie Range was the first Black American elected to the Miami city commission. The famous boxer Muhammad Ali also called this area home. During this time, segregation laws kept Black Americans from staying in places like Miami Beach. However, places like the Hampton House Motel welcomed and entertained important figures. These included Martin Luther King Jr., Althea Gibson, and even white celebrities like Mickey Mantle.

Changes and Challenges

In the 1960s, things began to change. The building of Interstate 95 in Florida in Overtown and new laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had a big impact. More people, especially those with lower incomes, moved to Liberty City. They were often displaced from other areas like Overtown. This led to many middle and higher-income Black families moving to suburban areas. Some moved to places like Florida City and Miami Gardens.

The community faced many challenges in the 1960s and 1970s. These challenges sometimes led to public unrest. For example, there were notable events in August 1968 during the 1968 Republican National Convention in Miami Beach. Another significant event occurred in May 1980 after a court decision involving Arthur McDuffie.

National Attention and Culture

In the 1980s, the struggles of Black Miamians gained national attention. The University of Miami Hurricanes football team won several championships. Many players came from neighborhoods like Liberty City and Overtown. TV shows like Miami Vice also showed the conditions of the area to a wider audience.

By the 1990s and 2000s, music from Liberty City became very popular. Local artists like Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew helped create the Miami bass music style. This style was very important in Southern hip hop. Other talented people from the area also became famous. These include rappers Trina and Trick Daddy. Professional athletes like NBA player Udonis Haslem and NFL players Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson, Antonio Brown, and Willis McGahee also came from Liberty City.

Gentrification and Community Efforts

Climate change is causing changes in Miami, especially with flood-prone areas. Neighborhoods like Liberty City, which are on higher ground, are seeing their property values increase. By 2017, Liberty City and Little Haiti became more appealing to investors.

To help keep homes affordable for current residents, a community land trust is being planned. This helps ensure that people who have lived in Liberty City can continue to afford to live there. In 2018, home prices in lower-elevation areas like Miami Beach grew more slowly.

Liberty City Demographics

In 2000, Liberty City had a population of 23,009 people. There were 7,772 households in the neighborhood. Most residents, about 94.69%, were Black. About 3.04% were Hispanic or Latino.

The area covers about 5.968 square miles. In 2000, the average household had 3.1 people. The average family had 3.7 members. About 74.5% of residents were born in Florida. Another 16.7% were born in other U.S. states.

Education in Liberty City

Miami-Dade County Public Schools manages the public schools in the area.

Elementary Schools

• Lillie C. Evans K-8 Center
• Poinciana Park Elementary School
• Liberty City Elementary School
• Holmes Elementary School
• Charles R. Drew K-8 Center
• Agenoria S. Paschal/Olinda Elementary School
• Orchard Villa Elementary School
• Lenora Braynon Smith Elementary School
• Kelsey L. Pharr Elementary School
• Earlington Heights Elementary School
• Shadowlawn Elementary School
• Thena B. Crowder Elementary School

Middle Schools

• Brownsville Middle School
• Charles R. Drew K-8 Center
• Lillie C. Evans K-8 Center
• Georgia Jones Ayers Middle School
• Jose De Diego Middle School
• Miami Springs Middle School

High Schools

• Miami Northwestern Senior High School
• Miami Central Senior High School

Colleges

• Miami Dade College

Libraries

The Miami-Dade Public Library system operates the public library in the area.

• Model City Library

Transportation in Liberty City

The Miami Metrorail provides train service to the neighborhood at these stations:

•           Earlington Heights (near the Airport Expressway and West 22nd Avenue)
•      Brownsville (at North 52nd Street and West 27th Avenue)
•      Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza (at North 62nd Street/Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and West 27th Avenue)

Notable People from Liberty City

Many talented people have come from Liberty City. Here are some of them: