On Wednesday, January 31, 2024, Brightline in collaboration with The Black Archives unveiled the new interactive exhibit “Echoes of Overtown: A Legacy Preserved” that gives viewers an immersive experience into the rich history of key historical landmarks in Historic Overtown in Miami, Florida.

The unveiling of this exhibit took place in the Premium Lounge in the Brightline MiamiCentral Station located in Overtown.

This event kicked off with a special introduction from President Patrick Goddard of Brightline, who stated that “connecting communities is more than transporting people; it’s connecting people to history, culture and knowledge. It is exciting to partner with The Black Archives, once again, to unveil this exhibit. ‘Echoes of Overtown: A Legacy Preserved’ is not merely a display but a journey beyond our physical space. We believe in its ability to foster unity and appreciation for our unique community’s heritage.”

Commissioner Keon Hardemon spoke of the vibrant neighborhood of Overtown and that “we are on a journey to really reinvigorate this space that we all love very dearly and I’m excited to have an opportunity to be a part of that. When you look at the exhibit behind us and Kamila will talk about it, you should marvel at the fact that these structures are still here. Many of them are still serving our community.”

Kamila Prichett, Executive Director of The Black Archives spoke next about the exhibit. Guests that arrive in the MiamiCentral Premium Lounge have the opportunity to view this exhibit by scanning the QR code on each photo that’s on display, where they will be taken on a journey via a web page to learn about the “historical landmarks of Overtown virtually, learn about their information, their past, their history and also learn about the adaptive reuse of some of those spaces”, said Pritchett. “This exhibit is a way to connect the past with the future or the past with the present.”

Kamila also let us know that there is no shortage of restaurants, entertainment and more in Overtown.

Also, present at this event was Connie Kinnard (seen in the picture above) representing the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau in support of the unveiling of this unique exhibit.

Our curious minds wanted to experience this immersive exhibit hands on, so, we took a virtual journey into the history of the Historic Lyric Theater, which we captured in the video below for you to see.

“Echoes of Overtown: A Legacy Preserved” exhibit will be on display until the end of February.

This marks Brightline’s second partnership with The Black Archives. In 2021, Brightline and The Black Archives collaborated on an exhibit that featured original works by Purvis Young. The art installation, located inside the MiamiCentral PREMIUM Lounge, featured original works by the renowned artist who was born in Liberty City and lived and painted in historic Overtown. Open to all Brightline guests, the Purvis Young exhibit featured 19 original pieces.

Photo Credit: Brightline

Date Posted: February 2, 2024