Sylvia Alridge

Sylvia Alridge 1884-1962: History Fort Lauderdale Photograph Collection/ History Fort Lauderdale Gene Hyde Photograph Collection
Sylvia Alridge 1884-1962

History Fort Lauderdale Photograph Collection/ History Fort Lauderdale Gene Hyde Photograph Collection

Name/Title

Sylvia Alridge

Entry/Object ID

5-14689

Tags

Black History, Women's History, Sylvia Alridge

Description

Sylvia Alridge 1884-1962

Photograph Details

Subject Person or Organization

Sylvia Alridge

Collection

Women's History, Gene Hyde Photograph Collection, History Fort Lauderdale Photograph Collection

Cataloged By

Emeri Cejka

Category

photographs

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Print, Photographic

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Photograph

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Graphic Documents

Nomenclature Class

Documentary Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

General Notes

Note Type

Historical Note

Note

Sylvia Alridge 1884-1962 Born in 1884 just north of Gainesville, Sylvia Alridge was one of the county’s first black residents and one of the city’s first female entrepreneurs. In 1904, when Sylvia married Anderson Alridge, the couple moved south to Fort Lauderdale. She began work as a domestic housekeeper. Realizing a need for such work, Sylvia created her first business, Sylvia’s Employment Agency. It was the first such business in Fort Lauderdale. She even supplied employees with uniforms. When Sylvia saw her employees needed a safe and dependable means of transportation, she started Sylvia’s Victory Cabs. She also purchased several rental buildings. Known by many as “Aunt Sylvia”, she would not push for employment fees or rent if the debtor was in a bind. During the Depression, she ignored rent deadlines and fed anyone who needed a meal. In 1936, after witnessing a group of farm laborers injured in a truck accident and refused treatment from the then white-only Memorial Hospital, Sylvia saw the need for building a hospital that would treat black patients. She became a leader in raising funds for the construction of Provident Hospital in 1938. A proponent of education, Sylvia was the founding President of the Dillard High School PTA. Among her many other contributions, Sylvia donated the land for a sanctuary for St. John’s United Methodist Church. Sylvia was also a trustee and benefactor of Bethune-Cookman College, and active in the Northwest Women’s Federated Club, American Woodsmen, Eastern Star and Heroines of Jericho. In 1998, the branch of the United States Postal Service at 400 Northwest Seventh Avenue was officially named the Sylvia H. Alridge Branch in recognition of Sylvia’s contributions to the City of Fort Lauderdale.

Created By

eandrews@historyfortlauderdale.org

Create Date

December 5, 2023

Updated By

eandrews@historyfortlauderdale.org

Update Date

June 11, 2024