"Sistrunk: Then & Now" Exhibition

Dive into the rich vibes of Sistrunk’s past and present with stories and sights that bring the neighborhood to life!

For over a century, the Sistrunk neighborhood has been the social, cultural, and economic center of Black Fort Lauderdale. Like many historic Black communities shaped by segregation, it has experienced cycles of growth, challenge, and renewal. “Sistrunk: Then & Now” presents this story through a photographic exhibition that pairs landmark images from the past with contemporary views of the same sites.

The historic photographs will be familiar to longtime residents who worked, worshipped, and celebrated in these spaces—people who shopped at local businesses, built families in neighborhood homes, and gathered at community churches, schools, and venues. Visitors new to Sistrunk will gain insight into the vibrancy and significance of a community often overlooked or misunderstood.

Curated by the founders of History. Art. Culture. (H.A.C.)—Emmanuel George, David Paulo, and Samuel Woods—the exhibition combines archival images with Paulo’s modern photography to document how Sistrunk has evolved across decades and continues to transform today. Together, the images honor the determination, creativity, and resilience of the neighborhood’s residents.

“Sistrunk: Then & Now” also invites reflection on the community’s rapid changes, encouraging conversations about development that supports long‑standing residents and strengthens the neighborhood’s enduring spirit.

A Service of the Broward County Board of County Commissioners