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My name is Melissa Breen, and my major is in history. During the research process for this project, I was struck by some realizations and emotions. There was certainly a lot of frustration, trying to find records and ensuring they were the right ones, in some cases the lack of records was another issue. There were also the emotions that come with such stories of neglect and racism in the first place, realizing firsthand how entire communities can be lost to history if no one has the time or resources to keep their memories alive. But there was also a lot of learning, recognizing the patterns in history in terms of migration (Black Americans moving from other Southern States or the Bahamas), occupation (mainly physical jobs), religion (such as with Mattie Lagree's service with a church), and so on.
I had the pleasure of researching Gifford Wright and Mattie Lagree. Gifford Wright and his family, consisting of his parents and siblings, are a prime example of the migration of Black Americans moving further south from states like Georgia and the Carolinas to Florida, especially South Florida. He and his family did farming, so you see a pattern of physical labor occupations emerging in these communities. Mattie Lagree was a married woman, the wife of Boise Lagree. She consistently worked even when she became a widow later on in life. By 1920, still married at the time, she was working on a farm and by 1930 she was cook in a restaurant. We know that Boise died sometime after 1930, since after that she is listed as a widow in future census forms. |
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My name is Juliet Rodriguez, and I am an Honors College freshman at Homestead's MDC, majoring in Biology. Through my IDS1911 research, I studied those buried at Silver Green Cemetery. I thought conducting research would be simple, but I was mistaken. Research can be surprising and even emotional at times. One of the most challenging things was trying to research individuals with common names or few or no records, especially those from repressed groups. It felt like I was leaving some behind, but it also made me want to continue researching and maybe tell more of their stories one day. Learning about people like John Thomas Byrd and Riley Perry showed me that history is not just facts in a book, it is about real people and their lives. This experience changed the way that I look at research, allowed me to gain confidence in my work, and allowed me to grow academically, personally, and overall as a human being. |
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I am Daniel Yantani Coto, a graduate of Miami Dade Honors College at the Homestead Campus. While attending MDC, I studied economics. Yet, I was passionate about history; about knowing our past to understand our present and our future. IDS1911 gave me an opportunity to do just that. I learned about people who called Homestead their home, who faced adversity and led interesting lives. Two people I particularly remember were Julius Ross, a World War I veteran who fought overseas in France, and Gus Bowles, a farmer who knew how to read and write despite his lack of a formal education. Their stories taught me about the challenges people in my community faced, but also about the dedication they had to the success of their communities and themselves.
I also faced challenges during my research. The lack of proper documentation, name changes, among others. But the knowledge I gained about my community was invaluable. I remember learning for the first time about the location of Silver Green Cemetery. I drove past it frequently, not knowing that it was more than an empty field. Now, every time I pass by it, it reminds me of the importance of understanding our past to know our present. It also reminds me of the significant work I did during IDS1911, telling stories that had been forgotten or ignored. It is an incredible opportunity I would encourage any MDC student to take. |
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My name is Nina Robinson, and I’m an Honors College student at Miami Dade's Homestead Campus. The IDS1911 Course has given me the opportunity to study the lives and history of those buried at Silver Green Cemetery. I went into this opportunity knowing that it wouldn’t be the easiest task ever, but I also knew it was going to be just as rewarding for the amount of effort I was putting in. One of the challenging aspects of the research was dealing with the lack of accurately dated and organized documents. Researching people like Alice Gaiter and Zetta Haris allowed me to see history from a different perspective and taught me that history affects even modern events and research done today. This opportunity gave me a new outlook on research. It taught me different research techniques, the cruciality of teamwork, and how to look beyond the surface level. I would take advantage of this opportunity a million times over, it allowed me to grow not just academically but personally as well. |
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My name is Claudia Marcano, an Honors College student. I’m a psychology major and during the 2025 Spring Semester I hoped to have some insight on what it was like to conduct research. The IDS1911 class gave me the opportunity to learn the basics of running research through researching the Silver Green Cemetery. I knew research would not be easy however when researching the people who were buried here I realized how tough it was. I hit a couple dead ends until finally learning information about Melvin Parrish. Parrish was an Army deserter, and I was able to find a lot of information about his family and personal life. One of the biggest struggles during this experience was finding documents that match dates and names during that time. It was known that records for African Americans were not properly kept. Ultimately this research experience taught me to not give up so easily and to look through every possible source when doing research. |
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Eduardo Fernandez is a 2nd year undergraduate student at Miami Dade Honors College, Homestead campus, where he is pursuing a degree in Mechanical engineering. His ultimate career goal is to continue his studies and apply his engineering knowledge in the automotive industry to help design more environmentally friendly cars. Eduardo was born and raised in Miami. FL and is passionate about travel, chess, and guitar. When not in school, Eduardo likes to spend time outdoors and take care of his many animals at the family farm. |
