Former Tallahassee mayor writes about 'Black History Firsts' in new book

“Know your history.” “Know our history.” Those are the words of Dorothy Inman-Johnson as she reflects on why her new book, "Tallahassee’s Black History Firsts: Post-Reconstruction Era" is a “reading must.”

Inman-Johnson, whose service to the city of Tallahassee stretches over almost 40 years is herself one of the book’s profiles of outstanding African Americans who have contributed to the progressive betterment of the city.

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During her years of community service, in 1986, Inman-Johnson became the first Black female elected to the City Commission. She served in the then rotating capacity of Mayor in 1989, and again in 1993. She was later City Manager of Midway.

Through her efforts, the property that is now Kleman Plaza was purchased by the city, and in 2020, that contribution was recognized with the plaza’s park being renamed in her honor. Inman-Johnson has written three other books dealing with African-American history and city management.

“And then during the pandemic, my friend, Clinita Ford, the wife of James Ford, the first Black mayor of Tallahassee, began to encourage me to write down some historical firsts of African Americans. Every year our Loved by Jesus Family Church would have a dinner recognizing Black people in Education, or Government, or Law and Medicine—and it seemed that it would be a good idea to do the same in the book Clinita was now urging me to write.

“And why? Because for both Blacks and whites, we only hear about the big names, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, people from the '50s and '60s. But history is being made every day,” Inman-Johnson said. “Every Black family should know about the people in this book…know our own history.”

She refers then to the CRT proposals to “erase history,” saying, “The purpose of any history is to capture and illuminate the struggles and the achievements of a people, not ever to make someone feel bad.”

Profiles were drawn from personal conversations with families, residents, researched data, and community memory.

Among the Tallahassee “Firsts” included are: Anita Davis, first Black female County Commissioner and head of the Tallahassee NAACP; Tommy Mitchell, was the first Black Tallahasseean to play with the Harlem Globe Trotters team and was President of the FAMU Boosters; Jack Gant, was the first Black Dean of the FSU College of Education, not the first FSU faculty member; and Melvin Stith was Dean of FSU Business School.

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Inman-Johnson wonders at how proud Black families would be to know of the accomplishments of the people who went before them not that long ago.

Inman-Johnson says that following the trails of facts needed to complete the stories of the dozens of notables benefitted from help from friend and former fellow history teacher at Florida High, Mary Katherine May. “And no doubt, many have been left out,” says the author.

“I have personally learned so much about the Black history of Tallahassee in writing this book, but there’s more to know. And maybe,” she says with a smile, “it will be found in a Volume II.”

"Tallahassee’s Black History Firsts, Post-Reconstruction Era" ($43.95, hardcover) will have its launch at the LeRoy Collins Main Library, Room A, first floor, at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5. The hardcover book can be found on Amazon. Call 850-294-1598 for more information.

Marina Brown can be contacted at mcdb100@comcast.net.

If you go

What: Book launch for Dot Inman-Johnson's "Tallahassee's Black History Firsts, Post-Reconstruction Era" (Rowland Publishing)

When: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5

Where: LeRoy Collins Public Library, Room A, first floor

Correction: An earlier version of this story about the book had several fact errors: Dot Inman-Johnson was the first Black female mayor, not the first Black mayor; Anita Davis was the first Black female County Commissioner, not City Commissioner; Tommy Mitchell was President of the FAMU Boosters, not President of FAMU; Jack Gant was the first Black Dean of the FSU College of Education, not the first FSU faculty member; Melvin Stith was a dean, not President of Syracuse University.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Former Tallahassee mayor chronicles 'Black History Firsts' in new book