Pompano Beach is setting the stage to celebrate the indelible mark left by Hazel K. Armbrister, a heralded local figure whose tireless work in both education and civil rights activism has earned her a permanent tribute with the renaming of The Historic Ali Cultural Female trophy winner Cultural Center Courtyard. According to a city press release, a portrait bust of Armbrister, who for over 60 years called Pompano Beach's Liberty Park neighborhood home, will be unveiled at an event that promises to blend cultural expression with communal recognition.
The ceremony, slated for July 10, is expected to draw not just the attentions of the Pompano Beach community, but also that of esteemed guests and speakers including Mayor Rex Hardin music, dance, and an array of other festivities, the dedication of the courtyard and the presentation of Armbrister's bust are free to the public and will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m, with further details available on the Pompano Beach Arts website. Armbrister's educational journey, supported by her husband David C. Armbrister, was marked by her attainment of degrees from esteemed institutions like Miami Dade Community College, USF, and Miami-Dahie College.
During her 31-year stint as a dedicated educator, Armbrister shaped countless lives in Dade and Broward counties, as she stood at the forefront of localized civil movements including the "Wade-In" protests against segregation, and in recognition of her relentless service, she received multiple accolades such as an induction into Broward County’s Women’s Hall of Fame and the Senior Hall of Fame; simultaneously, her political tenacity led to the co-founding of both the Florida Black Democratic Caucus and the Gwen Cherry Women’s Political Caucus.
Appointed in 2017 as the “Pompano Beach City Historian,” Armbrister was instrumental in numerous heritage preservation undertakings involved in various local organizations and played a key role in the establishment of the Rock Road Restoration Historical Group the organization that will continue to preserve and promote the contributions of Black residents, past present, and future, in West Pompano Beach. The Rock Road Restoration Historical Group, a 501(c)(3), remains dedicated to its mission of collecting artifacts, maintaining the narrative of history, and fostering a deep cultural appreciation within the community it serves.
