Miami-Dade County unveils the Arthur Lee McDuffie State Historical Marker for Black History Month

On Saturday, February 22, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County Commissioners Keon Hardemon and René García, and City of Miami Commissioner Christine King, joined the McDuffie family and the Miami-Dade Office of Historic Preservation to unveil the Arthur Lee McDuffie State Historical Marker. Attended by community advocates and historians who have long awaited this historic day, the ceremony presented the State-approved historic marker honoring the life of Arthur McDuffie – an African American father of three young children and former U.S. Marine - and his tragic death in 1979 when he was only 33 years old.  

The marker was installed on the sidewalk at the corner of 38th Street and North Miami Avenue, near what is today’s Miami Design District, and close to the place of the tragic day 45 years ago when he was beaten to death by four Metro Dade Police Officers. The eventual acquittal of the officers by an all-white jury led to civil unrest and riots across the County and sparked a dialogue on race relations in the community as well as changes in the legal system, including the creation of Miami-Dade County’s first independent civilian review panel in 1980. 

“This is an act of love to help us remember a great man, the tragic events that led to his death, and the call for justice and civil unrest that left an indelible mark on our community,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “The marker shall be a reminder of both our duty to honor the past and the obligation to act for a more just future.” 

Previous efforts to commemorate McDuffie’s legacy include a County Proclamation for Arthur Lee McDuffie Day and a street naming, but this new County initiative officially marks the site of his fateful encounter with police an official Florida Heritage Site.  

"Though time may heal the pain caused by the loss of Arthur McDuffie, we shall never forget the injustice he suffered on that fateful day,” said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Keon Hardemon. “His name is now etched into the history of our community and this marker will serve as a constant reminder of the struggle for justice.” 

Sponsored by the Family of Athur Lee McDuffie, Dr. Marvin Dunn, and the Florida Department of State, the installation of the marker was a collaboration between the Office of the Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s and the Miami-Dade Office of Historic Preservation, the Florida Division of Historical Resources, the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works and the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs. 

“With the unveiling of the Arthur Lee McDuffie State Historical Marker, we are given an opportunity to recognize Mr. McDuffie and the life he led here in Miami – to remind us that he was more than just a flashpoint in Miami’s history,” said Miami-Dade County Historic Preservation Chief Sarah Cody.  “As the Miami-Dade County Office of Historic Preservation works to tell the full stories of our past, we are honored to have had the opportunity to work with the McDuffie family to help tell their father’s story.”