Eatonville, Fla. – The Town of Eatonville is the oldest Black community in the United States, and officials hope that will play a large role in their decision to pick a location for the Florida Museum of Black History.
Shan Rose, with the Eatonville Community Redevelopment Agency, says they have the perfect location for the state’s proposed museum. It’s right off of Interstate 4 at Kennedy Boulevard and Wymore Road in the center of the state and accessible to the millions of tourists that flock to Orlando.
But even more significantly, it also happens to be the first historically Black city to be incorporated in Florida, after remarkably being settled by former slaves in 1887. That meant that Blacks here could vote, have their own law enforcement and manage their own affairs.
As Rose puts it, “Every square foot of this place is Black history.”
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That history also includes author Zora Neale Hurston, who grew up here. There is a yearly festival in her name that attracts thousands from all over the country.
But St. Johns County is the current frontrunner.
Rose believes the only reason they are in the number two spot is because when they first submitted their proposal, the plot of land they recommended was in dispute. It is actually owned by the Orange County School District, but Rose says they now have confirmation that the land will be released if they win the bid.
“The plaintiff, OCPS is willing to say here, we are in support of it,” Rose said.
The top four locations have been invited to answer questions from the Florida Museum of Black History Task Force, at a meeting to be held this Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Tallahassee. That will be the final step in the bid process before the governor, House and Senate receive the results.
The task force is expected to make their choice and recommendations by July 1.
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