Florida Museum of Black History

Overview

On May 11, 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed CS/CS/HB 1441 (Chapter 2023-72, Laws of Florida) establishing and defining the roles and responsibilities of a Florida Museum of Black History Task Force. The nine-member task force met monthly to provide recommendations for the planning, construction, operation, and administration of a Florida Museum of Black History. In June of 2024, the Task Force recommended St. Johns County/St. Augustine as the preferred location for the future Florida Museum of Black History.

With more than 450 years of continuous European occupation in St. Augustine, which is located at the center of St. Johns County, the area provides a captivating enchanting landscape through which to immerse oneself in the centuries of steps taken by African Americans.

The area offers visitors easy access to many meaningful historical sites including Fort Mose, the first sanctioned free Black Settlement in what would later become the United States. With a short drive, visitors can explore even more African American historical sites such as Kingsley Plantation, located in Jacksonville, and American Beach, located on Amelia Island.

St. Johns County is honored to have been selected as the preferred location for the Florida Museum of Black History and looks forward to partnering with the State to convey the 450 plus years of experiences of Black Floridians and the African American diaspora.

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