SITE DIRECTORY
To learn more about any of the BCN sites listed below, click “Read more” to view individual site briefs. To search for a specific BCN site, use the search bar below:
Westview Community Cemetery (8BD7010)
WESTVIEW COMMUNITY CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1940
ADDITONAL NAMES: Pompano Beach Historical Society
AFFILIATION(S): None
HISTORY:
Westview Community Cemetery is located on the south side of West Copans Road, north of NW 22nd Court. The cemetery is situated in an industrial area with the western most boundary adjacent to Pilot Steel, a steel fabrication company, on the eastern boundary there are self-storage warehouses and other construction related businesses. According to Frank Cavaioli, the Christian Pallbearer Society formed Westview Cemetery during the Great Depression. Local resident Paul Hunter donated the land because the social norms in the City of Pompano Beach prevented the African American community from burial in the established city cemeteries. This was a result of defacto and dejure Jim Crow racial segregation that existed in Florida, and Broward County into the early 1970’s. It was the only cemetery African Americans could be laid to rest in Pompano Beach and among the few in Broward County until the 1960’s. As such, many important African American and Bahamian pioneering families and leaders in the early settlement of Pompano Beach are buried in Westview Community Cemetery. Some of the pioneers that settled this are include members of the Ali, Armbrister, Cason, Cooper, Grooms, McBride, Rhone, Rolle and Wooten families.
BCN Contact Information:
Roberto Fernandez, III
robferna@fiu.edu
North Woodlawn Cemetery (8BD4879)
NORTH WOODLAWN CEMETERY
FOUNDED: 1920
ADDITONAL NAMES: None
AFFILIATION(S): None
HISTORY:
Woodlawn Cemetery was established during the 1920s when government officials restricted the African-American community to the northwest quadrant of Fort Lauderdale. It was the result of institutionalized racial segregation in Broward County from 1927 to 1964, and was the only cemetery African-Americans could be buried in until 1962. As such, many important African-American leaders in the early settlement of Fort Lauderdale are buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. It is the only historic African-American cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, and is considered a rare remaining historic resource associated with the African-American community’s early history.
BCN Contact Information:
Roberto Fernandez, III
robferna@fiu.edu