During the 39th Annual Art Deco Weekend on January 16th, 2016, the memorial for Barbara Capitman was dedicated. Barbara Baer Capitman (1920-1990) was an author and journalist who moved to Miami Beach with her husband in 1973. Growing up with an artistic mother and being surrounded by art made her appreciative of its beauty and esthetics. Upon her relocation to the art deco district, she was amazed by the large art deco concentration that was even more special due to the tropical surroundings. Seeing the potential of the building and understanding that a fight to preserve the historic buildings from demolishing, she co-founded the Miami Design Preservation League in 1976. The effort to protect and preserve the neglected Art Deco District included protests, marches, lobbying politicians, and even physically facing the bulldozers. It led to the registration of the Art Deco District as a National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Painting the buildings in different colors, renovating, preserving, and restoring others led to the district thriving and becoming one of the top touristic destinations in Miami. MDPL actions inspired activism preservation in other areas in the US. In 2011, the MDPL decided to create a memorial to its founder. It took five years of planning, permitting, and fundraising from 30 institutions and individuals to get the monument ready on time for its dedication during the Art Deco Weekend. The memorial features a bronze bust on a white pedestal. It was created by Capitman’s mother, the artist Myrtle Bachrach Baer, in 1939 and depicted Barbara as a young woman. It stands at Lummus Park, a short distance from Cardozo Hotel, the district’s first restored hotel. Read more...