Dr. Arnett E. Girardeau Jr.

Born on November 15, 1929, in Jacksonville, Florida, Dr. Arnett E. Girardeau Jr. was a
trailblazer in medicine, politics, and civil rights. Raised in a time of Jim Crow
segregation, he witnessed firsthand the systemic inequalities that kept African
Americans marginalized. But Girardeau was not one to sit on the sidelines. He became
one of the first African Americans to graduate from the Howard University College of
Dentistry and returned to his hometown, Jacksonville, to serve his community not only
as a dentist but also as an advocate for civil rights.

​

Girardeau was more than a healer of teeth—he was a healer of a broken system. His
activism went beyond the exam room as he entered politics, becoming the first Black
person elected to the Florida Senate since Reconstruction. Jacksonville, Miami, and
Tallahassee all felt the ripple effects of his work as he pushed for equitable healthcare,
education, and housing for Florida’s Black communities. Girardeau was instrumental in
drafting legislation that aimed to dismantle institutional racism in state policy.

 

His leadership in the Senate earned him respect not only among his constituents but
also across the state. Girardeau’s legacy is one of service, where his role as a dentist
intertwined with his activism, proving that change can be enacted both in the clinic and
in the halls of government. Through his work, he left an indelible mark on Jacksonville
and set a standard for civic responsibility that continues to inspire today.