The Fire

  • On May 3rd, 1901, a tragic fire started in Jacksonville Florida, due to a spark from a wood-fueled stove in a mattress factory on Beaver Street. 
  • Weeks without rain made building and vegetation highly flammable, and the city at the time—was constructed mostly from wooden building and limited fire protection. ​
  • The Blaze destroyed over 2,000 buildings, leaving nearly 10,000 people homeless and causing $15 million in damage (in today’s money that is around $600,000,000 million). 
  • Eartha White risked her life to secure the African American Life Insurance Company’s documents. This inspired them to recoverafter the crippling flames. This didn’t only help in relief efforts, but also served as a key institution for Black economic empowerment. ​
The Fire