This project pays homage to the people who lived, worked, worshipped, and played in the Belmont-DeVilliers neighborhood between 1885 and 1940. By collecting thousands of records from federal and state censuses as well as city directories, this exhibit shows the broad changes and continuities in “The Blocks,” as it was known, over five pivotal decades.
Completed in the Fall 2017 Digital History course taught by Dr. Jamin Wells, this project is a collaboration with Ms. Robin Reshard and the Kukua Institute, a Pensacola-based nonprofit organization committed to growing and sharing the cultural, intellectual, and economic abilities and contributions of African Americans.
This digital exhibit shares insights into the changing character of Bellmont-DeVilliers from the end of Reconstruction through the beginning of World War II. Dropdown menus about each decade let you explore interactive data visualizations that detail changes in race, occupation, building use, and ancestry. An interactive map allow you to learn more about the individual people and businesses that made “The Blocks.”