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Election Day At The Polls, The Ocoee Election Day Massacre, 'The Comeback Trail' Opens At The Fort Lauderdale Film Festival

People stand on line to vote on the first day of early voting for the general election at Shenandoah Branch Library located at 2111 SW 19th St. on Monday, October 19, 2020, in Miami, Florida
David Santiago
/
Miami Herald
People stand on line to vote on the first day of early voting for the general election at Shenandoah Branch Library located at 2111 SW 19th St. on Monday, October 19, 2020, in Miami, Florida

An update from the polls on Election Day. 100 years ago, the worst election massacre in the U.S. happened in Central Florida. And a new old-fashioned comedy movie opens locally.

On this Tuesday, Nov. 3, episode of Sundial:

Election Day At The Polls

Millions across the country have already voted and more are continuing to vote at the polls Tuesday.

On the ballot is the next president, also congressional seats, state leaders, local leaders, and possibly new laws.

In these uncertain times, you can rely on WLRN to keep you current on local news and information. Your support is what keeps WLRN strong. Please become a member today. Donatenow. Thank you.

“It has been calm. There are police officers here in the parking lot, but there haven't been any problems. If anything, when one party will play music to get some attention the other side might try to reciprocate. But there hasn't been any kind of violence," said WLRN reporter Verónica Zaragovia about a polling place in Hialeah.

Many of our reporters spoke to younger voters, who were casting their first vote in a presidential election.

“I just turned 18. So it was my first time ever voting. My voting location was actually very empty and it was a really quick process- under five minutes. So, I honestly really encourage anybody who's registered to vote to go vote today,” said Maya Baker.

We spoke with WLRN reporters who are at polling sites across South Florida about what they’re seeing as the 2020 election comes to an end. You can see more of our continuous election coverage here.

Election Day At The Polls
Voters drop off ballots at the Miami-Dade County Elections Supervisor headquarters in Doral on Election Day.

The Ocoee Election Day Massacre

As voters head on to the polls Tuesday, we are taking a look back at Election Day one hundred years ago.

It was 1920 in Central Florida and the small town of Ocoee had a large Black community that was organizing to vote like never before.

But everything changed when a Black man was turned away from the polls and chased by a white mob. The day ended with a lynching, killings and the burning of Black homes.

“It bothers me that it is described as the Ocoee riot. It was not a riot. It was a massacre. Calling it a riot suggests that there were black people attacking white people, rioting against white people. That's the message that went out across the country. Newspapers said that Negroes were rioting in Ocoee when in fact, they were being massacred,” said FIU professor emeritus and historian Dr. Marvin Dunn.

Dunn is featured in a new podcast series by Ozy Media that explores the story of the Ocoee Massacre. You can find it by searching for the history podcast "Flashback” on any podcast app.

The Ocoee Election Day Massacre

The Comeback Trail

Kate Katzman, a Palm Beach County native, is being honored at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival with a Star on the Horizon award.

She stars in "The Comeback Trail," a new dark comedy following two producers, played by Robert DeNiro and Zach Braff, with a scheme to make some fast cash by setting up an aging movie star, played by Tommy Lee Jones.

“I just think that it is a hysterical film, a smart comedy tailor-made to these amazing actors. Especially now, with the way the world is with all the stress surrounding COVID-19, it's the perfect time for a good, old-fashioned comedy”, said Katzman.

The festival will have two screenings of "The Comeback Trail" on Thursday and Friday evening with limited tickets due to social distancing requirements. The film will be out in theaters on Dec. 18.

The Comeback Trail Opens At The Fort Lauderdale Film Festival

Leslie Ovalle Atkinson is the former lead producer behind Sundial. As a multimedia producer, she also worked on visual and digital storytelling.
Suria is Sundial's fall 2020 high school intern and a production assistant.