Gainesville’s Newtown Florist Club celebrates 75 years of civil rights and community leadership - Gainesville Times

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Gainesville’s Newtown Florist Club celebrates 75 years of civil rights and community leadership

Newtown Florist Club executive director the Rev. Rose Johnson gives instruction to march participants Monday, Jan. 21, 2019, as the annual MLK Day march begins at St. John Baptist Church in Gainesville. - photo by Scott Rogers

01222019 MLK 3.jpg — Newtown Florist Club executive director the Rev. Rose Johnson gives instruction to march participants Monday, Jan. 21, 2019, as the annual MLK Day march begins at St. John Baptist Church in Gainesville. - photo by Scott Rogers

Founded in 1950 by Willie Faye Bush and Ruby Wilkins as a simple social club, the Newtown Florist Club quickly transformed into a powerhouse for social and environmental justice, tackling everything from housing discrimination and police violence to poor air quality.