South Florida honors legacy of Bahamian-American historian Enid Curtis Pinckney

South Florida will come together on August 9, 10 and 11 to celebrate the life and enduring legacy of Dr. Enid Curtis Pinckney, a respected educator, preservationist and historian of African American and Bahamian cultural heritage who died July 18 at the age of 92 in Miami, Florida.

Dr. Pinkney dedicated her life to the preservation and restoration of important community landmarks such as Lemon City Cemetery, the historic Hampton House, and Miami Circle at Brickell Corner. Her tireless efforts have left an indelible mark on Miami’s cultural and historical landscape.

Born on October 15, 1931 to Lenora and Henry Curtis, Enid Curtis was educated in the Miami Public School system. She attended the historic Booker T. Washington Junior/Senior High School in Overtown where she spent her formative years.

After graduating in 1949, she continued her education at Talladega College, Alabama’s first private historically black liberal arts college, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science in 1953. In 1967, she earned a Master of Science in Guidance and Counseling from Barry University and received honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees from the University of St. Thomas and Talladega College.

1991: A milestone year for Dr. Pinkey

1991 was a pivotal year for Dr. Pinkney. After many years with the Miami-Dade County Public School System, she retired as assistant principal of South Miami Middle School. That same year, she married Frank Pinkney, beginning a new chapter in her personal life.

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Despite her small stature, Dr. Pinkney packs a powerful punch when it comes to preservation. Her commitment to preserving Miami’s Black and Native American history is evident in the extensive work she does. She joined the Dade Heritage Trust (DHT) in the 1980s and became the organization’s first Black president in 1998.

During her tenure, she discovered that Black Americans were buried in Miami City Cemeteries and advocated for the preservation of numerous historic sites, including Lemon City Cemetery, Miami Circle National Historic Landmark, Historic Hampton House, and Historic Virginia Key Beach Park. She also served as a founding board member of the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust.

Even in the last month of her life, Enid Curtis Pinckney was still active in sharing and preserving history. She engaged with the community at the Black Police Station and Courthouse Museum exhibit. “Not a Slum: Overtown Before I-95 and I-395” and spoke with graduate students from Florida International University at the historic Hampton House. Her passion for history and education touched all who knew her.

Dr. Pinkney’s legacy lives on through her adopted son and nephew, Gary Allen, as well as her family, friends, colleagues, and countless others who will continue to explore, preserve, and honor African American, Bahamian, Bahamian American, and Native American history.

For those who wish to donate, letters and photos can be submitted to (email protected).