- Bipartisan ceremony honors late Sen. Geraldine Thompson’s 15+ years of legislative service
- Championed voting rights and Black history education amid modern political challenges
- Founded Orlando’s Wells’Built Museum and delivered historic Senate portrayals
- Received praise from Barack Obama as a 'model of public service'
Florida’s political rivals set aside differences Thursday in a rare display of unity, memorializing Democratic State Sen. Geraldine Thompson through tears, spirituals, and personal anecdotes. The civil rights stalwart, who passed at 76 following surgical complications, left an indelible mark through her dual roles as policymaker and living historian.
Thompson’s career spanned eras – from assisting Florida’s first Black female legislator Gwen Cherry in the 1970s to battling recent Republican-led curriculum changes. Colleagues emphasized her unique ability to merge historical context with contemporary debates, particularly during clashes over voting district maps and classroom content.
Republican Sen. Don Gaetz recalled Thompson’s transformative 2013 Senate performance as aviation pioneer Bessie Coleman: 'She made us see the cotton fields transform into airfields.' Such theatrical flourishes became her trademark, educating peers through visceral storytelling.
Current education policy shifts add urgency to Thompson’s preservation work. The Wells’Built Museum she established in Orlando’s former Black business district now serves as crucial counterpoint to restricted school curricula – housing artifacts from segregation era through Civil Rights movement.
Analysts note Thompson’s legacy offers a blueprint for bipartisan bridge-building. Despite clashing with Governor DeSantis on racial justice issues, she maintained Republican allies’ respect through principled diplomacy. 'When Geraldine spoke, you listened – regardless of party,' recalled GOP Sen. Ed Hooper.