Top 5 Things You May Not Know About Liberty Square

"Pork 'n' Beans?" Not the Side Dish You Think!

Ask any longtime Miamian where the Pork 'n' Beans are, and they won't point you to a kitchen—they'll take you to Liberty Square. 

The nickname stuck decades ago, and depending on who you ask, it's either because the original doors were the same orangey-brown shade as the canned classic, or because pork and beans were a pantry must-have back in the day. 

Trick Daddy even backed the door theory, and when Trick speaks on Liberty Square, you listen. 

Others say the dish was just a daily dinner rotation that turned into a community trademark. 

Either way, the name's less about food and more about familiarity—a shorthand only insiders understand, and a quirky nickname that has become a cultural signature, proudly shouted out in songs, stories, and Miami folklore.

Liberty Square's Original VIP List    

Before headlines painted Liberty Square in one light, it was the address for Miami's rising Black middle class in the 1940s and '50s. 

Yes, you read right—Liberty Square wasn't just public housing—it was a prestigious address, with a waitlist and all! 

In fact, some of Miami's future power players grew up in Liberty Square, including federal judge Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr., whose name now graces the courthouse downtown. 

The family behind Range Funeral Home—one of the city's first Black-owned businesses—also called Liberty Square home. 

Residents fondly remember it as safe, tight-knit, and full of promise, where front porches raised more leaders than you'd guess. 

As it turns out, before Liberty Square became symbolic of struggle, it was already a blueprint for Black excellence. 

VIP indeed.

The Neighborhood Mayor (Minus the Politics)

Every tight-knit community has a local legend, and in Liberty Square, oral history crowns one elder the unofficial "Mayor." 

No one remembers his full name—or maybe they're just keeping it sacred, he wasn't elected, didn't hold office, and his "office desk" was a trusty milk crate on 15th Avenue, but he knew every face and every family. 

Longtime residents say he'd tip his hat to passersby, welcome newcomers with a story or two, and rally the block if someone needed help fixing a roof or buying groceries. 

They even say he could list the names of original 1930s tenants as if it were yesterday. 

So, when he passed in the 2010s, neighbors held a candlelight memorial right in the courtyard, honoring decades of everyday kindness. 

His legacy might not be written in history books, but it lives in front-porch conversations and helping hands passed down.

The Frozen Cup Hustle

In Liberty Square, beating the heat came with flavor—and a side of hustle.

We're talking about the "frozen cup," a tradition created by Liberty Square residents, where they froze juice or Kool-Aid in paper cups and sold straight out of front windows for pocket change. 

Every block had a frozen cup lady (or two), and for the local kids, that was summertime gold. 

These mini entrepreneurs turned porches into pop-up shops, offering cold relief with bright colors and sweeter memories. 

Indeed, it's these homegrown flavors and neighborly ventures, from sidewalk snacks to front-yard BBQs, that helped turn Liberty Square into a tight-knit, landmark community.

Hollywood Meets Liberty Square

Hollywood in the projects?

Sounds wild, but in Liberty Square, it's just another Tuesday!

From Oscar gold to indie gems and Miami hip-hop legends, this neighborhood has been in the spotlight more than you'd think. 

First, we have Moonlight, the 2016 Academy Award winner for Best Picture, partially filmed in Liberty Square. 

For this movie, residents came out to watch their streets glow under production lights while some kids played under them like they were at a block party. 

Then came Liberty, a 2018 award-winning short film shot entirely in the neighborhood, featuring real students from Miami Northwestern High and premiering at the LA Film Festival. 

Meanwhile, in 2023, the documentary Razing Liberty Square turned the lens on the community's true-to-life redevelopment and resilience, giving voice to those living the change. 

And in the music world, Liberty Square's legacy blasted through name drops from Trick Daddy, Uncle Luke, and more, including a little-known charity BBQ that brought the rap scene right to the park. 

Whether it's on screen, in lyrics, or lit up in headlines, everyone knows that Liberty Square isn't just a backdrop—it IS the story.