Miami Beach’s History-Making Anti-Discriminatory Sign Ordinance
(Hadassah PowerPoint)
While many are aware of the Jim Crow South’s tragic past, few are aware of the strides made by Miami Beach starting in 1947 to eliminate discriminatory signage. The following PowerPoint tells the story of Miami Beach Ordinance 806 and its progeny.
Taking effect in May of 1947, Ordinance 806 was initially struck down by the courts on jurisdictional grounds. The “test” case which sought to enforce the “novel” law concluded that the ordinance was constitutional but the City of Miami Beach didn’t have the authority to enact such a sweeping law. Rather than appealing the case, the Anti-Defamation League, which championed the ordinance, took their case to the Florida Legislature.
Based on the holding that the law was not unconstitutional, in May of 1949 the Florida Legislature adopted the requisite law requested by Miami Beach. Chapter 26026, Florida Statutes, vested Miami Beach with the authority to enact its powerful anti-discrimination ordinance. A month later, in June of 1949, Miami Beach enacted Ordinance 883. The Miami Beach example was copied by other jurisdictions around the nation and became an early example to be emulated by the Civil Rights movement.
