Source

State Archives of Florida, Series S850

Description

Letter to Governor Bob Graham from Miami resident Ruth Olmar opposing proposed 1 cent sales tax increase to rebuild the city after the 1980 Miami Riots.

Date

1980-05-23

Creator

Olmar, Ruth

Contributors

Graham, Bob (Daniel Robert), 1936-2024

Format

Letters (correspondence)

Coverage

Late 20th-Century Florida (1968-2000)

Topic

Slavery And Race Relations

Subjects

1980 Miami Riots
Discrimination in criminal justice administration
Florida--Governor (1979-1987 : Graham)
Graham, Bob (Daniel Robert), 1936-2024
Justice--Public opinion
McDuffie, Arthur Lee, 1946-1979
Olmar, Ruth
Police brutality
Police misconduct
Riots--Florida--Miami
Sales tax
Trial by jury

Geographic Term

Miami
Tallahassee
Leon County
Miami-Dade County
Dade County
Liberty City (Miami, Fla.)

General Note

On May 17, 1980 an all-white Tampa jury acquited four white Miami police officers charged with the beating death of black insurance agent Arthur McDuffie. The verdict incited a three day riot in Miami, mostly concentrated in black neighborhoods Liberty City and Overtown. 18 people died, 400 were injured. Property damages were estimated at 100 million dollars. To help rebuild the riot area, Governor Graham proposed a 1 cent sales tax (from 4 per cent to 5 per cent). Many citizens complained about paying for the actions of others, while other citizens criticized Janet Reno, state attorney if the Miami-Dade area, for not investigating the police more thoroughly.