Say the words “Groveland Four” and it immediately conjures up memories of four innocent black men accused of rape in 1949 and the mob violence that followed – for those familiar with history. 

However, a new wave of residents know nothing about the events that sparked national headlines and eventually helped reshape the nation’s conscience, and that’s what motivates the town museum’s curator to work on a new display.

“It’s still kind of early on,” says Jason Brown, curator and president of the Groveland Historical Society.

Jason, who calls himself “a history nerd,” is determined not only to tell the story, but do it accurately and with style.

Ernest Thomas, Samuel Shepherd, Walter Irvin and Charles Greenlee were officially exonerated by Lake County Circuit Judge Heidi Davis in 2021 at the request of State Attorney Bill Gladston, who reviewed the case and found evidence in their favor.

The white woman who claimed she was attacked died last year, still sticking to her story. Notorious Lake Sheriff Willis McCall reportedly tortured the men into making false confessions. He shot one of the men, claiming he was trying to escape. The NAACP defense attorney, Thurgood Marshall, would go on to become a Supreme Court justice

The museum project started three or four years ago, but much of the work had to be scrapped because of copyright issues, poor quality of materials and misinformation from well-intentioned but misinformed volunteers.

It is still a challenge because the museum, which is provided by the city, is small, with little space for wall displays, and there has been an ongoing controversy for years between the city and a developer over possession of the old train depot, which was promised to the museum.

Brown is working with a graphics designer, a former mayor and others on the history board to look for more funding, possibly enlisting a grant-writer, and hopes to enlist the public’s help in collecting artifacts, and even talk to descendants of the four men.

NAACP defense attorney, Thurgood Marshall, would go on to become a Supreme Court justice.

Jason has a unique perspective.  His family are among the longest inhabitants of the south Lake town which was established in 1870.

“My father especially talked about the history of the town,” Jason says.

One of the early names for the town was Brown’s Ford. When the Taylor Brothers arrived with their turpentine workers, it was called Taylorsville.

What many people don’t know is that for years, African-Americans and white people lived peacefully together in the town.

Jason jokingly calls his own mixed heritage as “Heinz 57.”

One of the horrific results of the case is that Klansmen from Orange County came to Groveland and fired their weapons into black families’ homes.

“I have pictures of a month or two before that of everyone in town eating ice cream together,” he says.

There are accounts of white residents sheltering their black neighbors during the attacks. The next day, several residents ran some of the troublemakers out of town, Jason says.

 Scars don’t heal quickly. He said some have tried to pressure the museum to put something up quickly “to prove we’re not racists.”

That’s not going to happen, Jason says. “We want to do it right.

Groveland has exploded with growth in 10 years, going from 2,000 population to 20,000.

“There’s 150 years of history. There’s a lot of good people here. We’re trying to get the word out and welcome the new people.  It’s their history now,” Jason says.

The one word people say when they visit the museum is “wow!”

Jason reminds them, “We’re the best kept secret in Groveland.”

Photos curtesy of State Library and Archives of Florida via AP and Cindy Peterson