Former Fort Myers City Council member, civil rights activist and community leader Veronica Shoemaker died Thursday from cardiac arrest. She was 86.
Shoemaker was the first black member of the Fort Myers City Council after campaigning for the position in 17 elections. She served on the council for 24 years where she was a driving force behind several local projects including construction of the Harborside Event Center in downtown Fort Myers, the Imaginarium Science Center in Dunbar, City of Palms Park and bringing the Boston Red Sox to Fort Myers for spring training.
Shoemaker was former president of the Lee County NAACP and an active member of the Dunbar Improvement Association. She fought to desegregate Lee County Schools and also fought for fare wages, voter rights and equal education for all.
The following audio excerpt is from her 2013 interview for WGCU’s Makers series.
