It is impossible to tell the complete story of early rural Florida without covering the significance of African-Americans during the late 1900's.  Typically blacks had to do those hard, back breaking jobs that whites didn't want to do.  Usually they worked for lower wages, had longer working hours and harder working conditions.  Still, much of what Florida is today is the result of the contributions of rural black Floridians.

Following the Civil War and the period of Reconstruction, many blacks left their impoverished and isolated farms and moved to nearby towns.  Some even moved to the larger southern cities where they settled in growing black neighborhoods.   Urban areas provided more economic opportunities than rural areas.  Although blacks were usually confined to menial labor jobs, they found that work in the city paid cash on a fairly regular basis.  As opposed to rural blacks who usually received no money until their crops were sold.

Towns and cities also afforded more opportunities for entertainment, religious and educational activities.  Typically black youngsters in towns spent more time in school than rural children, who had to help work the fields.

It was easier to get work in town for a black woman than it was for a black man, although, the women usually had to settle for jobs like domestic work or cleaning

Black Farm Families

 Many rural blacks lived in very basic cabins like this one.

Black families enjoyed music just as much as whites,  Note the banjo held by the man seated in the front.