Lieutenant McKay Recollection about Virginia Key Beach
Permanent Link:

Material Information

Title:
Lieutenant McKay Recollection about Virginia Key Beach
Series Title:
Virginia Key Beach Oral Histories

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Virginia Key Beach Park (Miami, Fla.)
Spatial Coverage:
United States -- Florida -- Virginia Key
Coordinates:
25.735959 x -80.155953

Notes

General Note:
Lieutenant McKay discusses his early childhood experiences in Florida. He notes that he was born in Fort Green, Florida, "which is somewhere near Tallahassee." After discussing his early childhood in Florida, Lieutenant McKay talks about his time at Booker T. Washington high school, his encounters with Miami police and their mistreatment of "one of the Kemp brothers," and segregation in Miami. Lieutenant McKay talked about working for Stone's Grocery where he packaged and delivered goods. He remembers how the white police officers controlled local businesses by raiding African American establishments and using the captured contraband to exert pressure on their owners. Next, Lieutenant McKay talks about his time in the armed forces, facing discrimination from Miami's police officers when he wore his uniform, and his training to invade Japan at the end of World War Two. Next, Lieutenant McKay talks about applying to work as a police officer. Finally, Lieutenant McKay talks about visiting Virginia Key beach. He only remembers the concession stand being at Virginia Key beach when he visited. He also talks about how we "lost a whole lot" of the community and fellowship after 1964. Lieutenant McKay also notes that the construction of interstate 95 through Overtown destroyed the heart of Overtown and that "progress" has "decimated us." He ends his talk by noting that Virginia Key is the best kept secret and he does not understand "why we do not take advantage of that museum."

Record Information

Source Institution:
Virginia Key Beach Park Trust
Holding Location:
Florida International University
Rights Management:
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/
Resource Identifier:
FIVK047608

Related Items

Host material:
CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

dpSobek Membership

Aggregations:
Virginia Key Beach Park Trust