Never forget: Ocoee Massacre 100 years later, Jacksonville man remembers great-uncle

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Exactly 100 years ago, the small town of Ocoee, Florida, became the site of the largest incident of voting day violence in U.S. history.

The violence was sparked after a Black man tried to cast his ballot.

But the story remained largely untold until a central Florida museum took it upon itself to make sure the Ocoee Massacre was not forgotten.

Julius Edward Perry, 71, has lived in Jacksonville his whole life.

“My grandmother, she was a poll worker. My mother was a poll worker,” said Perry.

You could say voting is in his DNA, but it wasn’t until last year that he learned just how personal that sacred right really is to him.

Julius Edward Perry is the great-nephew of Julius “July” Perry who was lynched in Ocoee in 1920 after his friend, Mose Norman, tried to vote.

“Hatred is what caused him to get hung,” said Julius Edward Perry.

Pam Schwartz is the chief curator of “Yesterday This Was Home,", an exhibit at the Orange County Regional History Center that details the events of Nov. 2, 1920.

“It’s an important story to be told,” said Schwartz.

She said through research, they were able to prove some of the horrific details.

“That night after the polls have closed, an armed white mom goes to the home of his friend and his fellow labor broker July Perry, and violence breaks out,” said Schwartz.

She said at least four Black people, possibly more, and two white people were killed, but a newspaper article at the time only reports the deaths of the two whites.

“An unknown number of structures owned by the Black community have been burned to the ground,” said Schwartz.

After the night of terror, most of Ocoee’s Black population fled, and their lands were taken and sold.

This year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill that requires schools to teach children about the Ocoee Massacre.

This summer, Florida officially renamed a stretch of a highway in honor of Julius “July” Perry.

Julius Edward Perry is also doing his part to make sure the next generation never forgets.

“If you don’t change your heart, you’re not going to change anything,” said Perry.

The exhibit on the Ocoee Massacre will remain open until Feb. 14, 2021.

Cox Media Group