Often referred to as Mr. Gene by locals who respected him for his masterful skill as a “pit boss”. Eugene Daniel, Sr., was born in Blakely, GA, in 1905 and settled in Osceola County in 1925. Just a year before his eldest son, Eugene, was born. He worked for a local fruit company for 30 years and sharpened his barbecue skills on the weekends. So […]
Mrs. Theresa R. Helms was born in Narcoossee in 1912, where her father was a citrus grower who owned 10 to 12 acres. She graduated from school after losing her father, but her mother was determined to have her daughter achieve higher education. During this time most young people were expected to start working. It should be noted that few students, black or white, even […]
Margaret Turner Bell Margaret Turner Bell was a part of the first graduating class at Kissimmee High School in 1945. She is remembered in the community for providing home-based learning just for African American children. In 1946, communities in Osceola County were still segregated, and formal Education was not offered for African American children until the first grade. After attending Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona for a brief period, Margaret returned to Kissimmee and […]
Xavier Pinellas spent his college days fighting for equal rights and working for the rights of his people in his native town, Kissimmee, Florida. Xavier was the founder of a non-profit organization called Project Reach, which started in 1977. It was a low-cost counseling and tutoring service for the black community in Osceola County at the time. There, he tutored over 200 kids, helped 35 […]