A portion of Southwest 2nd. Avenue was officially named in honor of Isidor Cohen, one of Miami’s first Jewish settlers, merchant and civic booster, in a ceremony that highlighted the shared history of Miami’s Jewish and Black communities.
The event was held at the Center for Jewish Life at Beth David Synagogue and celebrated Cohen’s contributions to the city’s founding and his recognition of the crucial role Black residents played in Miami’s early days.
“I think the Jewish community has been in concert with the Black community when it comes to civil rights,” said Annmarie Henry of the group Profiles in Black Miami.
Henry, a CBS Miami employee, underscored the historical partnership between the two communities.
Cohen, who was one of the 367 men who voted to incorporate Miami as a city in July 1896, often recounted the importance of Black voters in the city’s founding.
Of the 367 voters, 162 were Black men. Cohen documented these pivotal moments in his book, Historical Sketches and Insights of Miami, which his grandson, James Weintraub, referenced while addressing the Miami City Commission.
“He wrote this book recounting stories of the early struggles of the residents, many of whom were Black. If not for this book, many stories would be lost,” Weintraub said, leaving a copy of the book with the commission to support the street-naming project.
Cohen’s descendants have continued his legacy of civic engagement and his great-grandson, Michael Riskin, emphasized the collaboration behind the project.
“The Black community and Jewish community came together on this project. In fact, the Black community helped get the name on the street,” Riskin said.
The Curtis Foundation and Profiles in Black Miami partnered with the city to honor Cohen’s memory, ensuring his contributions to Miami’s founding and his acknowledgment of Black residents’ roles in the city’s history are preserved.
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