GADSDEN COUNTY, FL — For generations, Gadsden County built its reputation as Florida's shade tobacco hub, growing prized cigar wrapper leaves that reached markets across the globe.
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For the very first time, the Havana History and Heritage Museum is hosting a Black History panel recognizing the men and women whose hard work in those tobacco fields helped shape this community.
At its height, tobacco farming was more than just a crop in Gadsden County — it was the backbone of the local economy. Museum leaders say the county once brought in nearly 30 percent of Florida's income, with shade tobacco leaves selling for up to $45 per pound.
Fields covered in protective cloth tents lined the area, and curing barns became a familiar sight throughout Havana and surrounding communities.
"It is the last leaf used to roll a fine cigar, a cigar wrapper. So that tobacco sold back in the day for $45 a pound versus $4 a pound. And Gadsden County went from seed to cigar. We literally would grow the tobacco here harvest it cure it and the tobacco barns we had packing houses that would do that for us," White said.
Many of those jobs were filled by African American workers whose skill and dedication helped make the county nationally known. From planting and harvesting to stringing and curing the leaves, the work demanded precision and long hours.
By the 1970s, changes in the market led to the decline of the industry — but its impact on generations of families remains.
"And it really almost made the town die. Because it really was dependent on the industry and so a lot of families left or tried to do other things with their farms," White said.
Now, through this first-ever Black History panel, organizers hope to preserve those personal stories — giving a voice to the men and women whose contributions shaped Gadsden County's history.
Organizers say this inaugural Black History panel is just the beginning of honoring the people behind Gadsden County's tobacco legacy. You can catch the event March 14 at the museum in Havana.
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