FLORIDA – The Hampton House Motel in Brownsville, Miami-Dade County, is now listed in the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places.
“From the 1950s to the 1970s, the Hampton House Motel hosted meetings of prominent Black civil rights leaders, athletes, and entertainers. Today, through the efforts of dedicated local preservationists, it remains an integral part of Miami’s heritage,” said Cord Byrd, Secretary of State.
According to the Florida Department of State, the Hampton House Motel, originally known as the Booker Terrace Motel, was built in 1954 and designed by Miami Modern architect Robert Karl Frese. Located in Miami-Dade County’s greater Brownsville neighborhood, the motel was purpose-built specifically for the Black community during racial segregation.
In 1961, owners Harry and Florence Markowitz renamed and renovated the motel, creating its iconic image that is preserved today.
The Hampton House Motel provided many upscale amenities not typically available to Black travelers in the 1950s and 1960s. Private rooms and bathrooms, kitchenettes, and Brownsville’s first swimming pool made the Hampton House Motel the premiere accommodation for the Black community in Miami during the post-World War II period.
The upscale motel also served as the social, entertainment, and political hub for Miami’s Black community. The motel’s nightclub hosted famous entertainers such as Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Sam Cooke, and Ella Fitzgerald.
Notable athletes, such as Althea Gibson, Jackie Robinson, and Joe Louis, stayed at the Hampton House Motel during their Miami visits. Malcolm X frequented the motel, often to meet with his friend Muhammad Ali.
Ali famously celebrated his 1964 victory over Sonny Liston in the motel’s coffee shop.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used the motel to coordinate south Florida’s civil rights strategy and host press conferences. Documents show that an early version of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech was delivered at the Hampton House Motel.
Ultimately, the motel was a place associated with dignity and freedom for Miami-Dade County’s Black residents and visitors for two decades.
Following the end of racial segregation, the Hampton House Motel entered a period of decline and eventually closed in 1976. The building sat vacant for over 30 years. In 2000, it was slated to be demolished.
Under the leadership of Dr. Enid Pinkney, the community created the Historic Hampton House Community Trust, Inc., to save the motel. In 2002, the Miami-Dade Historic Preservation Board designated the building as a local historic property, and the county purchased the block on which the motel sits.
Since the early 2000s, Historic Hampton House has received several grants from the Division of Historical Resources to preserve the motel and share its history with the community. Major projects completed to date include structural engineering and stabilization, the restoration of the original motel plan and interior finishes, building systems upgrades, and collecting oral histories.
The organization is working on a project to develop retail spaces, including a gift shop and café, and install museum exhibits. Building upon a legacy of successful historic preservation stewardship, Historic Hampton House oversees the ongoing work to preserve this important community landmark and educate the public about its legacy in the history of Florida’s civil rights movement.
For more information on the Historic Hampton House, visit historichamptonhouse.org.
