They are re-confguring the dog park here in Key West near Higgs Beach. This is because they have discovered more graves in the park from a unique piece of American history.
In 1860 the US Navy seized three US owned slave ships carrying slaves to Cuba. President Buchanan had ordered a blockade of Cuba to stem the illegal slave trade to Cuba and Jamaica to work the sugar plantations. We hear that today’s children are not being taught the reality of the slave trade in the US, but this is an episode that revealed the horror of slavery but also the kindness of the people of Key West.
The US Navy boarded the William, the Wildfire and the Bogota and found 1432 slaves chained in the bowels of the ships. They freed them and brought them to the nearest port, which was Key West. Key West at that time was the home of “wreckers”, or salvagers, as well as some sponge and turtle trade.
Rescued from slavery, the Africans spent three months in Key West and, even though quarantined, local residents visited the captives every day bringing food and clothing. Locals built a barracks and pitched in to help these people. The US Marshal paid for medical supplies, too. Many were re-patriated to Africa but almost 300 Africans died while in Key West. Many died in that re-patriation voyage, too, but about 800 made it back.
Those that died in Key West were buried on what is now known as a part of Higgs Beach, their bones only to be discovered over a hundred years later. This is now a rectangular portion of the beach set aside and flanked by tall columns. A series of pedestals adorned with African Adinkra symbols with bronze plaques surrounds the area.
Key West was no stranger to slaves. Before the Civil War, the area had a history as a haven to captured slaves after US patrol boats would seize slave ships near the Keys. The city remained under Union control for the Civil War and attracted runaway slaves from other parts of Florida.
By the end of the 19th century, blacks represented about ⅓ of the population of Key West. The legacy of Key West’s early population can be found in the Bahama Village, a 16-block neighborhood that is part of the city’s historic residential community.
Key West’s seafaring identity made it a more accepting place because people from many different places with different cultures came to the Keys. Key West has immortalized this commitment to diversity and acceptance when it adopted “ One Human Family” as the city’s slogan.