In Memoriam: Dr. Enid Curtis Pinkney
“Dr. Enid Curtis Pinkney at the Hampton House.” 2022. 40 x 60 inches. Mixed-media on canvas. Raymond Elman. Collection: Historic Hampton House.
DR. ENID CURTIS PINKNEY (1931-2024) passed away on July 18, 2024 at the age of 92. Born in Miami of Bahamian heritage, Dr. Pinkney dedicated her life to acknowledging and preserving African American history in Miami-Dade County. She will be most remembered for saving the Hampton House in Brownsville from the Miami wrecking ball, and raising the funds to restore it to National Historic Registry standards. She was the founder of the Historic Hampton House Museum.
Editor’s Note: I first met Dr. Pinkney in 2019 when I was asked to record video interviews with people who performed at the Hampton House or patronized the Hampton House during the Jim Crow era. With her warmth, humor, charm, and intelligence, Dr. Pinkney immediately made me feel welcomed and valued at the Hampton House. She told me many stories about growing up in Miami, and greatly expanded my understanding of the African-American experience. I will miss her dearly.
— Raymond Elman
