Rosewood: An Interactive History

The currently available download is a prototype. Keep an eye out for new updates coming as soon as possible! We know this project has been delayed, but please be patient with us as we volunteer our time to complete it.

Rosewood: An Interactive History (RAIH) uses gaming technology to explore Rosewood, Florida; an African American town destroyed during a 1923 race riot. It provides a way for making difficult histories more accessible in a sensitive way, and invites users to explore rural Florida as it existed 100 years ago. RAIH is based on evidence discussed in The Rosewood Massacre: An Archaeology and History of Intersectional Violence.

Rosewood was settled in the mid-1800s and by 1900 most of the town's population was African American. On New Year’s Day 1923 a White woman in Sumner accused an unnamed African American man of assaulting her. The resulting White mob began a reign of terror lasting seven days, ending with the complete destruction of the town and violent displacement of its community.

Rosewood: An Interactive History is a walking simulator.  You might also call it an exploration game, narrative game, or a place-based simulation. There are no non-player characters (NPCs), which is a conscious choice to avoid misrepresenting real persons, or sensationalizing historical violence. The structures and information in the game are based on years of archaeological and historical work by Dr. Edward Gonzalez-Tennant. You can learn more about this project at the Rosewood Heritage & VR Project.

It is and will be available for free, however donations are greatly appreciated. The money raised through donations will help support further development (language translations, VR version, etc.). Alternatively, consider purchasing a commemorative coin to help support the project.