Miami Proud: Historic Ali Cultural Arts Center is named for Pompano Beach's first Black business owners
FORT LAUDERDALE - Pompano Beach is a thriving city known for its beautiful beach and famous pier. It has a rich history too.
Some of the city's first Black entrepreneurs and pioneers were Florence and Frank Ali. Their home on what is now Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard was built in 1933 and today it is the Historic Ali Cultural Arts Center.
The couple, whose families emigrated from the Bahamas and Cuba during the early part of the twentieth century, became one of the area's most prominent Black couples, operating several businesses in the home.
"Mr. and Mrs. Ali operated both a barber shop and beauty salon, in addition, Florence was a seamstress. They're what you would call nowadays 'serial entrepreneurs.' They ran a record store, they had a lounge room and rooming houses in the area that is now our courtyard. The historical folklore is that musical greats like Cab Calloway and other jazz musicians would stay here with the Ali's when passing through town to perform in Miami," explained Adriane Clarke, the cultural programs manager for the City of Pompano Beach.
Over time the building fell into disrepair.
A woman who knew the Alis, and had a strong sense of community and history, gets much credit for her part in saving the building. Hazel Armbrister, who grew up in Pompano Beach, famously stood in front of a wrecking ball that was set to demolish the house. She, along with the Community Redevelopment Agency and Rock Road Restoration Historic group, worked to solidify the Alis' legacy in the city's history with a $2.4 million dollar renovation.
The historic Ali Cultural Arts Center opened in 2015. There are plans to commission a bust of Armbrister, who passed away in 2021.
The venue celebrates African American culture through art, music, classes, and more. There is an annual exhibit honoring the late actress Esther Rolle, famed for the television sitcom "Good Times," who grew up in Pompano Beach. There are also local artists' works also displayed in the gallery. Events are held there year-round including the February celebration of Black History Month.