EATONVILLE, Fla. – A judge has dismissed a lawsuit over the site of a historic school for Black students in Eatonville, but the future of the property remains uncertain.
The property is the former site of the Robert L. Hungerford Normal and Industrial School. The Orange County school board acquired the school and property in 1951, and in recent years has been trying to sell or develop the property.
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However, preservationists for the town, as well as the descendants of Hungerford family, have been trying to get the school board to return the property to the town.
The group sued after the school board entered into an agreement with a developer to buy the 100 acres. However, the Eatonville Town Council rejected changes sought by the developer for the property, and in March 2023, the developer terminated the sale.
A judge in the case said that since the contract was terminated, the lawsuit was now moot. However, the judge did not rule on the merits of the lawsuit itself.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, which brought the lawsuit on behalf of the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community and descendants of the original landowners, says the plaintiffs are now considering their next move.
“We continue to call on the School Board to return the property to the people of Eatonville,” said N.Y. Nathiri, executive director of the association. “So that we may exercise control over our land for the future benefit of our town.”
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