Juneteenth: Celebrating 19 Central Florida role models led by Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry

Story Posted: 2020-06-19 at 18:25:24

YouTube download / Daytona Beach TV video / Mayor Derrick Henry reads aloud a proclamation declaring  June 19, 2020, Juneteenth Independence Day in Daytona Beach.

By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- "Juneteenth" is a sacred holiday to Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry.

The combination of the words June and nineteenth and has been celebrated by the African-American community for more than 150 years. It was the day, in 1865 when Union soldiers arrived in Texas and freed the slaves. The announcement came two-and-a-half-years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Juneteenth has been celebrated in Daytona Beach with a community festival for the last 19 years; however, this year’s event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But that did not stop Mayor Henry from reading a proclamation in recognition of Juneteenth. You can watch and listen to Henry's solemn proclamation in the video above that accompanies this story.

In recognition of Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry's passion and dedication to recognition of this special day, Headline Surfer has put together a collection of mini bios recognizing the mayor and 18 other African-Americans who continue to make a difference in Central Florida. Here are the 19 bios summaries of these outstanding individuals: 

Derrick Henry / Headline SurferDERRICK HENRY

Derrick Henry, a Daytona Beach native, is seeking his third four-year term as mayor in thne 2020 Elections. He is the second African-American mayor of this tourism-driven city, home to the World's Most Famous Beach and Daytona International Speedway. He is the city's 21st mayor since 1926, when the towns of Seabreeze, Daytona and Daytona Beach merged into one city. Henry is married with three children. Henry earned his master's degree in educational leadership from Stetson University. Derrick Henry's younger sister, Dannette Henry, also serves on the City Commission with him. He also has a brother, Patrick Henry, who formerly served on the commission as well. 

Vince Carter / Headline SurferVINCE CARTER

Daytona Beach native Vince Carter, 43, has played in the NBA for a record 22 consecutive seasons, this season being his last. Carter is the only player to play in four different decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s) and at 6 feet 5, ranked as one of the greatest dunkers of all time. Carter is a Mainland High School graduate who helped his team with a state championship before went on to play collegiately for the North Carolina Tar Heels. He played in the NBA for the Toronto Raptors, New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks. Carter is an eight-time NBA All-Star. Off the court, Carter established the Embassy of Hope Foundation, assisting children and their families in Florida, New Jersey, and Ontario. Carter is in the Headline Surfer Hall of Fame

Wendell Bradford / Headline SurferWENDELL BRADFORD

Wendell Bradford is retired deputy with 25 years of experience, all with the Seminole County Sheriff's Office. He ran for sheriff of Volusia County on three separate occasions, but came up short. A native of Brooklyn, NY, Bradford lives in Deltona with his wife, Anita Bradford. She is a Deltona city commissioner.

Cecil Smith / Headline SurferCECIL SMITH

Cecil Smith was hired in 2013 as the chief of the Sanford Police Department police, replacing Bill Lee, who was fired following the controversy over how Sanford police handled the investigation into the fatal shooting of of Trayvon Martin. In 2015, Smith was awarded the Distinguished Service Award in Law Enforcement by the Florida Council on Crime & Delinquency Region VII in recognition of his contributions to the community that he serves in the field of criminal justice. 

Danette Henry / Headline SDurferDANNETTE HENRY

Dannette Henry easily won a second term on the Daytona Beach City Commission in the 2018 elections with by 56.8 percent of the votes over Katienna Brown-Gardner, a first time candidate in the zone that covers the north central area of Daytona Beach. Henry is the younger sister of Mayor Derrick Henry and of former Daytona Commissioner and former State Rep. Patrick Henry. Dannette Henry is very active in social media.

Jakari Young / Headline SurferJAKARI YOUNG

Jakari Young is deputy police chief with the Daytona Beach Police Department. Young began his DBPD career in 2001 after completing the Law Enforcement Academy at Daytona State College. During his 18-year tenure, Young has worked in various operational and administrative capacities, including the Patrol Division, Criminal Investigations, Special Response Team, Crisis Intervention Team & the Office of Professional Standards. Young holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Bethune-Cookman University in Criminal Justice and Criminal Justice Admin., respectively. In 2017 DBPD Chief Craig Capri appointed him to the rank of deputy chief.

Vernon Moore / Headline SurferVERNON MOORE

Vernon Moore lives in Orlando and is a financial advisor who works out of DeLand. Moore is very active in social media, especially as it pertains to minority causes such as the West Volusia Branch NAACP.

Val Demings / Headline SurferVAL DEMINGS

Val Demings is congresswoman from Orlando representing Florida's 10th congressional district since 2017. From 2007 to 2011, she was the chief of police of the Orlando Police Department, the first woman to lead the department, capping a 27-year career with the OPD. She is the spouse of Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and a potential VP running mate of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Paula Reed / Headline SurferPAULA REED

A native of Daytona Beach, Paula Reed is a longstanding Daytona Beach city commissioner, who received a Master’s Degree in Organizational Communication from the University of Akron and a Master’s in Transformative Leadership from Bethune-Cookman University. Reed is the assistant director of one of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s newest academic programs, the McNair Scholars Program, which prepares underrepresented college students to pursue their Ph.D. Reed is an adjunct professor at Bethune-Cookman University, where she teaches effective oral communication.

Belvin Perry / Headline SurferBELVIN PERRY

Former Chief Judge Belvin Perry has filed as a Democrat to run for the State Attorney’s position opening up in Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit with Aramis Ayala not seeking re-election in 2020. Perry, 70, has been in private practice with the law firm of Morgan and Morgan since retiring from the bench in 2014. He presided at the 2011 murder trial of Casey Anthony.

Dawn Fields / Headline SurferDAWN FIELDS

First elected to the bench in 2006, Volusia County Court Judge Dawn Fields was a prosecutor and before that, a high school math teacher. She earned    her law degree from the University of Georgia. Judge Fields currently hears civil cases at the Volusia County Courthouse Annex at City Island in Daytona Beach.

Ida Wright / Headline SurferIDA WRIGHT

Elected to the Volusia County School Board in 2016, Ida Wright, the current school board chair, ing a second four-year term with the School Board in the 2020 Elections. Wright, born and raised in Daytona Beach, is the dean of College of Business & Entrepreneurship at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach. 

Hubert Grimes / Headline SurferHUBERT GRIMES

Appointed by then-Gov. Jeb Bush in 1999, Hubert Grimes was the first African-American to serve as judge for the 7th Judicial Circuit in Daytona Beach. Grimes retired from the bench on Jan. 31, 2014. He served as interim president of Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach for nearly two years, 2017 to 2019. Grimes received his law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law.

Barbara Girtman / Headline SurferBARBARA GIRTMAN

Elected to the Volusia Coiunty Council in 2018, Barbara Girtman's district 1 seat encompasses the incorporated areas of DeLand, Orange City, DeBary, Lake Helen and Pierson; and the unincorporated areas of Astor, DeLeon Springs, Emporia, Seville, Barberville and surrounding areas. A licensed realtor since 2012, Girtman received her master’s degree  in healthcare administration from St. Leo University.

Quanita May / Headline SurferQUANITA MAY

Elected as the zone 3 Daytona Beach city commissioner in 2018, Quanita May is midway through her first four-year term. She is a fitness guru who owns Quanita's Fitness. May holds a master's degree in marketing from Webster's University and is very active in social media.

Joyce Cusack / Headline SurferJOYCE CUSACK

She grew up in segregation on the "Westside" of New Smyrna Beach, unable to go to the World's Most Famous Beach in Daytona as a child due to segregation. Joyce Cusack and other African Americans in Volusia County were relegated to a beach south of New Smyrna. As an adult, Cusack rose to prominence in the Florida Legislature - first elected to the House in 2000, and re-elected  in 2004. Cusack, now 78, also served two consecutive terms as the at-large member of the Volusia County Councul before retiring at the end of 2018. During her tenure, Cusack had a direct vote in setting beach policies.

Patrick Henry / Headline SurferPATRICK HENRY

He's back on the campaign trail  running for election to the Florida House of Representatives to represent District 26. Henry is on the ballot in the Democratic primary on Aug. 18. Before losing re-election in 2018, Henry sponsored legislation honoring Bethune-Cookman University & designating Jan. 11, 2018, as "Wildcat Day."

Jerry Demings / Headline SurferJERRY DEMINGS

Elected as the Democratic mayor of Orange County in 2018, Jerry Demings is the former longtime sheriff of Orange County and spouse to Congresswoman Val Demings, a possible vice presidential running mate for Jore Biden in the 2020 Elections. Demings recently mandated wearing of masks in public in Orange County to combat the spread of coronavirus.

Cynthia Slater / Headline SurferCYNTHIA SLATER

"Our vote is our voice," says Cynthia Slater, longtime president of the Daytona Beach branch of the NAACP, during the "I can't breathe" peaceful protest on June 11 in Daytona Beach.

About the Byline Writer:

Henry Frederick bio / Headline SurferHenry Frederick is publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet launched 12 years ago that serves greater Daytona Beach, Sanford & Orlando, Florida via HeadlineSurfer.com. Frederick has amassed more than a hundred journalism industry awards in print & online -- more than than all other members of the working press combined in Central Florida since the mid-1990s. He earned his Master of Arts in New Media Journalism with academic honors from Full Sail University in 2019. Having witnessed the execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Florida's death chamber and other high profile cases, Frederick has appeared on national crime documentary programs on Discovery ID and Reelz for his investigative reporting and cops & courts breaking news stories.

Award-Winning Journalism of Henry Frederick.