"We come here today to remember City of Miami incorporator Samuel Jones as a true pioneer of Miami and unveil a headstone at his gravesite in his honor.  Today we also honor the life of someone who contributed to the growth and prosperity of our community, Ruth Smith Sands.  Both Samuel Jones and Ruth Smith Sands deserve to be remembered as vital and important chapters of the City of Miami's story," Commissioner Edmonson said.

From its inception, the historic cemetery was divided with whites on the east end and the black population on the west end. In 1915, the Beth David congregation began a Jewish section.  The cemetery, then located one half mile north of the city limits on a narrow wagon track county road, was created in 1897, a year after the City of Miami was incorporated by 100 men.  African-Americans and black Bahamians made up one-third of the City's incorporators.

Blacks provided the primary labor force for the building of Miami but were confined by clauses in land deeds to the northwest section of Miami, now known as Overtown.  Samuel M. Jones and his son, Samuel Jones, were two of those laborers.  The 1910 census listed the Jones household at 639 5th Street in Overtown and included daughters, sons, nephews, grandchildren and a boarder named Mary F. Stephens.
           
Ruth Smith Sands was born in 1920 in Overtown.  The daughter of Bishop J.R. and Evangelist Olive B. Smith of the Church of God of Prophecy, Ms. Sands was a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School and Florida A&M University and became a teacher in the Dade County Public Schools.

During her lifetime, she pioneered many firsts: she owned and operated the first black florist shop in Opa-locka, known as La Vogue's Florist; hers was one of the first black families to integrate and area now known as Miami Gardens and she was one of the first to integrate the 19th Avenue Church of God of Prophecy where she was active in many auxiliaries of the church.  She died September 12, 2008 at the age of 88.

Commissioner Edmonson, joined by Dr. Enid Pinkney and the Progressive Cornet Band, led the 16th Annual Commemorative Service and Procession from the historic St. Agnes Episcopal Church in Overtown to the cemetery service where participants enjoyed a showcase of talents from young people in the community.  It included an essay contest entitled "Why I Am Proud of My Heritage. "

"We must thank Dr. Pinkney and the members of the Trust's African-American Committee for their continued persistence and hard work on behalf of preserving our heritage," Commissioner Edmonson said.  "Without them, Samuel Jones, Ruth Smith Sands and many unsung heroes like them would be forgotten; without Dr. Pinkney and the Committee, we would neglect to mark and celebrate the very rich and important history of African Americans in Miami."

Photo Caption: Becky Roper, executive director, Dade Heritage Trust; Rev. Jesse Martin; Dr. Enid Pinkney, Chair, African-American Committee of the Dade Heritage Trust; Commissioner Edmonson and Dr. Preston Marshall.