ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Community leaders on Monday gathered to honor the victims of one of the darkest days in our Central Florida history, the Ocoee Massacre now 100 years ago.

It all started when a group of Black people tried to vote in the 1920 election.

One of the victims was Black businessman, landowner and farmer July Perry of Ocoee, who fought for Black voters' rights.

His friend Moses Norman tried to vote and was turned way. The two encouraged others to vote in the presidential election.

Last year, the city unveiled a plaque to honor Perry who was lynched by a mob of white men in 1920 near downtown Orlando, sparking riots. Black-owned buildings and homes in north Ocoee were burned, residents were driven out of the city, and dozens were killed.

Earlier this year, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law to include the 1920 massacre in African-American history instruction, as well as victims' names in museum exhibits and state parks.

The great grandniece of John and Lucy Hickey said there's still more work to be done even a century later.

"To have the heart to be empathetic, to show empathy in everything that you do, to have the courage to be fearless, and to just have the desire to create change," Narisse Spicer said.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer are among the leaders who shared their thoughts Monday morning.

Demings declared today, "Descendants of the Ocoee Massacre Honoring their Ancestors Day."

He's also pushing for everyone to get out and vote in Tuesday's election.

"No matter what happens tomorrow as a result of the election, we must be willing to get into good trouble, good trouble, as the late Congressman John Lewis would say, in order to make the world a better place," Demings said.