Maurice A. Ferré | Civic Leader, Miami, Florida, USA

Описание: Produced by Meme Ferré and Aaron Glickman
Premiere on November 4, 2022 at the Perez Art Museum Miami

The first Hispanic mayor of Miami and the first Puerto Rican-born mayor in the United States, Maurice A. Ferré was a visionary figure in politics for decades. From his seat in the Florida House of Representatives in 1966, Ferré entered local politics as a commissioner of the City of Miami and then served as mayor for six terms, from 1973 to 1985.

Mayor Ferré led Miami through periods of turbulence―the McDuffie riots, the Mariel boatlift, and the drug wars. Revered in the Black community, he hired Miami’s first Black city attorney, and together they tackled Miami’s long tradition of racial divisions, securing a federal consent decree to end discrimination in the hiring and promotion of city police officers and firefighters.

As mayor, Ferré’s early vision of Miami as the gateway to the Americas set into motion the city’s transformation. He convinced U.S. companies to house Latin American headquarters here. He backed state banking regulations that would allow international banks to open Miami offices, creating a top international banking center in our urban core.

Through his leadership and influence, he revitalized downtown Miami, making possible the Metrorail System, Bayside Marketplace, and the Port of Miami expansion. Mayor Ferré has earned the attribution, “the Father of Modern Miami."

Visit ferre.fiu.edu to learn more.