Senate bill proposes Florida Museum of Black History in St. Johns County

by | Feb 4, 2025

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Legislation was introduced on Monday that would establish the Florida Museum of Black History, a state-supported institution dedicated to recognizing the contributions of Black Floridians.

The bill, filed by Sen. Tom Leek, would establish a 13-member board responsible for the commission, construction, and operation of the museum in St. John’s County. The board would include three appointees each from the governor, Senate president, and House speaker, as well as four state legislators serving in an ex officio capacity. The board would work with the Foundation for the Museum of Black History, Inc., a nonprofit organization supporting the project.

“As we recognize February as Black History Month, I am proud to file Senate Bill 466 as we move forward as the preferred location for the Florida Museum of Black History,” said Leek. “I look forward to working with our community and our state in furtherance of this significant designation.”

The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners would provide administrative support and staffing for the board until planning, design, and engineering are completed.

The planned campus-style museum is set to be constructed on the former site of Florida Memorial University, one of the state’s oldest historically Black institutions. The location also includes the recently relocated Canright House, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was scheduled to stay in the 1960s before segregationists vandalized the property.

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