Bahamas Born Civil Rights Activist Saluted By Linda Jump

Gifford, Florida, July 26, 2001: Civil rights that many take for granted in Indian River County came hard for Victor Hart, Sr., who was honored by his family and community this week for his work in integration, unity and understanding.
Hart was born in a one-room shack on Cat Island in the Bahamas 70 years ago. He came to the United States 50 years ago with dreams of a brighter life. As a migrant fruit picker, he and his wife raised 11 children in Gifford - eight of them still live there.
He also gave back to his community, helping organize the Progressive Civil League of Gifford in 1962 and the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People a year later. He worked to raise money for the Gifford Health, Gifford Community and Gifford Youth Activities centers.
About 200 people turned out to honor Hart Saturday at a banquet organized by his children. On Tuesday, he received a proclamation of honor from the county's Board of County Commissioners.
"The board recognizes the accomplishments of Victor and thanks him for his efforts on behalf of Indian River County," said Caroline D. Ginn, chairman of the Board of Commissioners.
Hart said his work isn't finished but he can look at the barriers he broke through efforts such as integrating the local skating arena and Jaycee Beach, as well as public schools.
Hart remembers only a few decades ago when black people had a 6 p.m. curfew around 14th Street in Vero Beach. A large sign greeted black people coming into Winter Beach, warning them to get out of town.
He said blacks riding the passenger train through town had to keep curtains drawn on their two cars behind the engine "because the whites didn't want to have to see us."
There were separate toilets, separate water coolers, and blacks weren't welcome in many businesses. "Black women weren't allowed to try on dresses in some of the Vero stores," he said. Black people had to enter through the back doors of some businesses, and they weren't welcome in others.
Freddie Woolfork, director of the Gifford Youth Activities Center, grew up knowing Hart. "I remember seeing him with a fruit sack on his back," Woolfork said. He said Hart sacrificed family time to work for civil rights. "He's unselfish. He wants to see mankind unified," Woolfork said.
Fred Plair, who has worked with Hart, called him an outspoken leader. "He's a family man, a church-going man who is deeply involved in community affairs," he said. Plair said as soon as he moved into the Gifford community in 1964, Hart tapped him to create the Progressive Civil League for better streets, lights and water. "We've been working together ever since," he said.
Hart is president of the county's NAACP chapter, chairman of the Gifford Health Center, on the board of directors of the Florida Community Health Center, the Juvenile Justice Council, the Economic Development Council, the Primary Care Public Health Committee and the Community Development Block Grant Citizen Advisory Task Force. He is on the board of the Florida Partnership for End of Life Care. For years, he has been a member of the Gifford Masonic Lodge 347, a deacon at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church and the Heroines of Jericho Lodge.
Now, he said, he spends his days - and nights - in a myriad of meetings. He plans to return to his native Bahamas soon to upgrade living conditions on Cat Island. "We still have shacks there without running water. I still have a lot of work to do there too," he said.
At 70, standing tall and straight, Hart still has the energy to set his goals high, and to achieve them.
(Florida Today)