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MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2026

VOLUME 120 - ISSUE 30 Not officially associated with the University of Florida

Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida

‘We can’t forget’: Alachua County residents memorialize lynching victims through quilts COMMUNITY-MADE QUILTS HONOR 47 VICTIMS OF RACIAL VIOLENCE

By Julianna Bendeck Alligator Staff Writer

Inside the Matheson History Museum, eight quilts hang on the walls, their patterns subtle but deliberate. The quilts tell the stories of the 47 people lynched across Alachua County, their legacies memorialized by community members reckoning with the county’s history of racial violence. The exhibition, which opened Jan. 21, allows visitors to connect with victims through local art. The quilts are part of the Alachua County Community Remembrance Project, an ongoing lynching remembrance effort rooted in the county’s dedication to truth and reconciliation efforts. The project, which formally began in 2020, grew out of discussions by the Alachua County Commission following the discovery of previously unknown lynching victims. The quilting initiative itself began five years ago under the leadership of Dawn Beachy. A quilter for more than 50 years, she said there is a long history of memorial and political quilts, as well as similar projects across the country. What began as a single quilt eventually expanded to eight, a decision meant to ensure each victim was individually represented. “We have to tell the truth about what happened,” Beachy said. Jackie Davis, a liaison between the Equal Justice Initiative and the ACCRP, said the 2015 mass shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, prompted her involvement in anti-racism work. The attack, perpetrated by a white supremacist, resulted in the deaths of nine Black churchgoers. She said the legacy of Jim Crow continues to shape life in Alachua County, where racial and economic disparities persist.

SEE QUILT, PAGE 3

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT The Avenue

Story description finish with comma, What do piercings mean to pg# Gainesville residents? Read more on pg. 6.

Henry A. Moore // Alligator Staff

For this “In Case You Missed It” special, Alligator staff rounded up our favorite Spring stories that didn’t make it into print. Read more about the edition in our editorial on page 2.

Gainesville apartment growth still raising concerns as The Standard nears 10 years The city will soon reach a decade of high-rise student housing By Lily Hartzema Alligator Staff Writer

The Standard will celebrate its 10-year anniversary next year, marking a decade of luxury high-rise living in Gainesville. Construction began Summer 2015, and the development celebrated its grand opening Fall 2017. It was among the first luxury high-rise student living projects in Gainesville, setting a model for later de-

velopments. Others, like Hub On Campus, Sweetwater and Nine 31, were built in the following years — 2020, 2023 and 2024. As the popularity of luxury apartments continues to grow in Gainesville, local residents and students question affordability and the need for high-rise living in a college town. Born and raised in Gainesville, 54-yearold Betsy Peterson has watched the city change dramatically over the years. She said she feels the rapid development is

Opinions

Gator tennis athlete weighs in on the creatine craze, pg. 7

University

UF students substitute lectures with third-party tutoring service, pg. 5

hurting locals. “I’ve seen Gainesville be small, and I’ve seen it grow big,” Peterson said. “I think they’re almost doing it an injustice. Every time you turn around, they’re building, building, building.” Peterson takes Southwest 20th Avenue to work daily and said traffic congestion is worsening between it and Archer Road, especially during rush hour. It makes daily commutes more difficult, she added. “It’s just getting to be ridiculous,” Peter-

SEE HIGH RISE, PAGE 3

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