The two First Coast counties are two of 13 locations that want the proposed museum in their towns
ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla — There is a statewide effort to create a Florida Museum of Black History.
Where it will be located is still up in the air.
Two of the thirteen counties and cities vying for the museum are on the First Coast: St. Johns County and Nassau County.
“It’s a competitive contest,” Tera Meeks said. She is the Tourism and Cultural Development Director for the St. Johns County Tourism Development Council.
Both counties have a rich Black history.
St. Johns County touts the first sanctioned free black settlement, Fort Mose.
Meeks added that the county also had the “first Black marriage on the continent of North America and also the first black child was born (in what is now St. Johns County) on the continent.”
In Nassau County, there is the historic Williams House which is “rumored to be part of the underground railroad,” Maurie Duggan said. She is with the Amelia Island Convention and Visitors Bureau. She added, “We’ve got American Beach, A.L. Lewis,” and she continued the list.
Both women, who made presentations on their county’s behalf, aim to nail down the state’s museum in their area.
Lat year, Gov. Ron Desantis signed a bill into law regarding a Florida Museum of Black History Task Force. The bill created a nine-member task force to provide recommendations for the planning, construction, operation, and administration of a Florida Museum of Black History.
Some destinations in the running are small, such as Havana in north Florida. Other are big, such as Orlando.
Meeks of St. Augustine told First Coast News, “If St. Johns County is selected, we would be able to have this museum on the location of the historic Florida Memorial University.”
It was a school for African Americans in the early 1900s. Right now, that land at Holmes Boulevard and West King Street in St. Augustine is full of trees. St. Johns County’s museum team suggests building the museum to look like the old college’s buildings.
Florida Memorial College, now operating in south Florida, has sent a letter expressing interest in enabling the sale of 20-40 acres of land it still owns in St. Augustine to go toward the state’s Black history museum.
FAMU, the city of Palm Coast, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority (connected to the airport) and JAXPORT have submitted letters of support for the museum to be located in St. Johns County.
Nassau County and Amelia Island have not selected a parcel of land yet, but they tout it is easy traveling distance from other states.
Duggar said, “There is Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina” within 5 hours travel time.
She added, “What we do have is an untold story. It’s one that is not only important to Nassau County. It’s important to the state of Florida.”
No doubt, the competition across the state to land the museum is stiff because it could bring an economic boom and prestige wherever it winds up.
Meeks said, “It would certainly help to bolster tourism and the overall economy of St. Johns County and hopefully the region as a whole as well. But would really should it should meaningfully have a positive impact on that African American community.”
She was referring to the West Augustine community, a historically black area.
As for Amelia Island in Nassau County, Dugger said, “For us it’s more about the cultural impact and to share that history and preserve that rich history.”
She added, “We know we’re the underdog.. but we’re okay with that.”
The public is invited to submit their thoughts about where the museum should be located. To take the survey, click here.
