In 1949, during the Jim Crow era, Silver Springs’ owners Carl Ray and Shorty Davidson did something unique: they created a place for African-Americans tourists. Located downriver, they dubbed their creation “Paradise Park for Colored People” and put Eddie Vereen in charge.

From 1949 to 1969, the former Silver Springs boat captain ran one of the most popular places for African Americans to visit. This presentation, based on Remembering Paradise Park: Tourism and Segregation at Silver Springs, discusses the history and impact of Paradise Park on Florida’s tourism industry.

Lu Vickers was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship for fiction as well as two Florida Book Awards and three Florida Individual Artists Fellowships. In addition to writing Remembering Paradise Park with C. Graham, she has written Breathing Underwater, a novel and three other Florida history books: Weeki Wachee, City of Mermaids, Cypress Gardens: America’s Tropical Wonderland, and Weeki Wachee: Thirty Years of Underwater Photography.

Space is limited. Registration is required.

Funding for this Florida Talks program is provided in part by Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities and in partnership with Hernando County Library Services. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.