Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum

The Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum, was constructed in 1916. It was originally the county courthouse. Throughout the 20th century, the courthouse has developed and grown in tandem with the blooming county. Its main function was to house the daily business of the county, which included housing the executive, legislative, and judicial branch of the local government early on. However, it was also used as a shelter for hurricanes, a place for weddings, and electing of thee first African American and female elective officials . Currently it is a public History museum that focuses on local history. This Museum is a invaluable educational resource that is symbol of the history and growth of West Palm Beach county.

The Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum, is a significant landmark in West Palm Beach. From the original founding of the county to present day, the museum is a living symbol of both U.S and local history. The changes the structure went through during the 20th century is reflective of the socioeconomic climate of the era and the political climate at the time. Important events such as the civil rights, and the women equality movement that swept the nation can be seen affecting the county. The Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum is not just a educational resource, but a landmark that has survived throughout a century of U.S history and is a reflection on how national history affected local communities and how important local museums are.

In the U.S before the 19th amendment, women's rights were heavily restricted. For most of American History women were considered second class citizen and were treated unequally and unjustly. In society rigid traditional gender roles limited women and prevented them from doing much of anything outside the home. This changed however due to the of Women's rights movements countless efforts throughout the decades to reach gender equality. With the passing of the 19th amendment to the constitution which made it so women were able to vote. A major shifting point in U.S history slowly but surely women were given the opportunities that were restricted from them in the past. This monumental moment in history can be seen in Anne E'del Deacon, the first female judge to be appointed in Palm Beach County, who was sworn in the Palm Beach County courthouse. Today this moment in Palm Beach County history is documented in the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum, the same courthouse they were sworn in on. This is important since it shows that national changes and movements do affect local communities and the effects can be seen and is recorded in local museums.

The U.S has an incredibly brutal and dark past when it comes to many marginalized groups, from women, to Native Americans, to Asians, to the lgbtq community, and to the African American community. The United States oppressed these groups of people not only socially, but legally as well. This changed however due to the of efforts of the Civil Right's movement, spearheaded by the African American community who had suffered centuries of racism, prejudice, and oppression within this country. With the passing of the 13th, 14th. and 15th amendment to the constitution which made it so slavery was abolished and guaranteed some rights to African Americans in the 19th century, and the Civil Rights movement in the 20th century. The extreme prejudice within in the country was slowly fading, and allowed these oppressed people to finally achieve social and legal equality. This monumental moment in history can be seen in Edward Rodgers, the first African American prosecutor and judge to be appointed in Palm Beach County, who was sworn in the Palm Beach County courthouse. Today this moment in Palm Beach County history is documented in the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum, the same courthouse they were sworn in on. This is important since it shows that national changes and movements do affect local communities and the effects can be seen and is recorded in local museums.

The Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum, is an incredibly important landmark in West Palm Beach. One of the reasons is that it is preserving one type of history that can be lost easily with the passage of time, oral history. While most majorly important events, people, and changes are recorded when it comes to national, or global history. A lot of events, people, and changes within smaller local communities can be easily lost since not everything can be documented. That means when it comes to stories of people, or events that are not on a grander scale, the only thing preserving them is by word of mouth. For example, a lot African American leaders within Palm Beach Counties like Myrtle Rains, who was an educator who helped white administration adjust to when segregation was gone, or Alfred Straghn, who was a funeral home director and became the Chairman of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People who helped many people within the community by advocating, litigating , and educating when it comes to civil rights whose actions are only remembered by the people and where not recorded, unlike some one like Martin Luther King Jr. This is important since this kind of information must be preserved and is being preserved within local museums, and being sought after by these local communities like in Palm Beach County and the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum.

The Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum, is a significant landmark in West Palm Beach, because it is a symbol of progress of Palm Beach County with the constant changes that happen in the world. It is a educational resource that teaches about oral history something that can only be preserved by and within local communities and museums efficiently and effectively. Finally it is a intimate reflection of how progress of and advancement of the Nation affects local communities.

 Steinhauer, Lise M. "The effects of variables in oral history: Palm Beach County, Florida." Thesis from Proquest

https://www.proquest.com/openview/e818d0c6c58b42d56077ffdee43324bf/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750

In this thesis “The effects of variables in oral history: Palm Beach County, Florida..’, written by Steinhauer, Lise M, the author discusses the impact of oral history within West Palm Beach area. They acknowledge the various nuances and factors of oral history, and the impact it has on preserving local history accurately.without it being lost or erased. The Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County Museum was noted as being one of the few sites in South Florida actively trying to keep a record of the many shifting variables of oral history such as interviewing people who have inherited information from primary sources or has information that could give more nuance to an aspect of history that was not written down . An aspect of the article that is worth noting is the focus on different parts of important perspectives to piece together information on events or people that was not recorded but lives on anyways.

 Pacenti, John. "Finding Black history in Palm Beach County is daunting, but rewarding." Article from Palm Beach Post, https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/local/2023/02/02/struggles-and-triumphs-of-telling-black-history-in-palm-beach-county/69854700007/

In this Special online article “Finding Black history in Palm Beach County is daunting, but rewarding.’, written by Pacenti, John, the author discusses the history of black folk in the West Palm Beach area. They acknowledge the threat of local history of the local Black diaspora being lost or erased. The Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County Museum was noted as being one of the few sites in South Florida actively trying to fight for the preservation of local Black history. An aspect of the article that is worth noting is the focus on different parts of important historical achievements the black community accomplished that directly impacted the area.

Frazier, Caroline "Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote", online presentation from Historical Society of Palm Beach County https://pbchistory.org/rightfully-hers-american-women-and-the-vote/

In this online presentation “Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote’, published by the Historical Society of Palm Beach County , the presentation discusses the history of American women in the West Palm Beach area. They acknowledge the history of women's suffrage and how it pushed for social progression in West Palm Beach. The Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County Museum celebrates the female leaders and notable women of West palm beach that pushed for positive change. An aspect of the article that is worth noting is the national push for more rights given women effect on the everyday women in west palm beach.

1916 Courthouse Saved from Destruction, PBC.gov. Accessed March 29th, 2023. https://discover.pbcgov.org/pages/pbc-government-history-4.aspx.

In this article “1916 Courthouse Saved from Destruction’, published by the Palm Beach County government website , the article discusses the plan to strip the 1970s expansion of the courthouse to restore the original early 20th century courthouse. The courthouse was initially planned to be completely demolished since the courthouse was no longer used as new buildings for legislation, judicial purposes were built and had no real purpose. However with growing enthusiasm in preserving palm beach county history, which changed the plan to renovating and restoring the original building.

, HSPBC PBC. Richard and Pat Johnson PBC History Museum and the 1916 PBC Courthouse, Youtube. Accessed March 29th, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIxjlltysEs&ab_channel=HSPBCPBC.

In this online video “Richard and Pat Johnson PBC History Museum and the 1916 PBC Courthouse’, published by the Historical Society of Palm Beach County , the video discusses the history of Courthouse turned museum . They talk about the history of the West Palm Beach courthouse from the early 20th century to the present day. The Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County Museum has gone through major significant changes throughout the decades, due to many different factors such as the explosive growth of the county, and construction of other multiple government buildings which pushed the Courthouse into becoming a local landmark and museum.