Descendants of the eight families from the 1923 Rosewood Massacre were invited Saturday to tour the former home of John Wright, the last structure remaining following the incident.

The group of descendants gathered at Veterans Memorial Park on Saturday morning and were escorted by the Florida Highway Patrol to Rosewood to tour Wright’s house and paid homage to those who fought and died protecting their families and property, according to the Remembering Rosewood press release. It marked the first time members of the eight families were granted access to view the property.

According to the Remembering Rosewood website, on Jan. 1, 1923, a married white woman claimed an unidentified black man attacked her. The woman’s husband and a group of white men invaded Rosewood, hoping to find her alleged attacker.   

The mob tortured, lynched, shot, and chased out black women and men living in Rosewood during the time.  

Women and children were evacuated to Gainesville with help from Wright. Many Rosewood survivors assumed new identities and never spoke of the incident.  

Wright was the white store owner who hid black residents from mobs during the week-long massacre that devastated the Rosewood community of more than 300 black residents. His house is the only structure remaining following the desecration of the Rosewood community.

The house viewing was held in conjunction with the 38^th Annual Rosewood Family Reunion in Gainesville. The weekend of activities allowed the eight impacted families to reconnect and honor the sacrifices of their ancestors. The activities included the Ride for Rosewood, a 51-mile solidarity journey that followed the escape route from Cedar Key to Gainesville.

The Descendants of Rosewood Foundation, Inc., also announced plans to add another historic milestone as they work to restore the wealth that was stolen and their family legacies. 

The Remembering Rosewood Centennial anniversary started in January and included a wreath laying ceremony on Jan. 8 at the Rosewood Cemetery. The survivors and descendants of Rosewood are the first African Americans to receive reparations from a legislative body in the country.

“We are so thankful for this opportunity,” said Gregory Doctor, the cousin of Arnett Doctor, the descendant who led the fight for the families’ historic reparations settlement, in a press release. “This will be the first time for many of us to view the inside of the Wright house, but more importantly, to experience this critical piece of our collective family history.

“We are grateful to have this experience together as a collective family and document this incredible milestone for the next generation. Our ancestors tried to shield us from the ugly truth of America’s past, but we are determined to keep Rosewood’s rich history and legacy alive and continue to chart a course for the next 100 years.”

According to the press release, “there are eight families whose direct descendants remain to tell the stories of resilience and fortitude that defined the town of Rosewood: the Bradleys, the Carriers, the Colemans, the Edwards, the Evans, the Goins, the Halls, and the Robinsons families.”

For more information about the Descendants of Rosewood, visit the website rememberingrosewood.com or follow on social media on Facebook, on Instagram, on Twitter @remember1923 and tag us using the hashtag #Rosewood100.