Black history museum makes it through Senate, remains stalled in House
Senators gather in their chamber for the opening day of session on March 4, 2025. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix)
The Florida Senate voted unanimously on Wednesday to pick St. Johns County as the site of the state's Black history museum.
St. Augustine Republican Sen. Tom Leek sponsored the bill, SB 466, which would establish a board of directors to oversee construction and operation of the museum.
The governor, Senate president, and House speaker would each appoint three board members. The legislative leaders would also appoint two lawmakers from each chamber.
Although the upper chamber's vote brings the museum closer to the finish line, the House version of the bill hasn't been heard as the time to move forward policy in this year's session dwindles. However, the Senate and House budgets both include a $1 million appropriation for the museum.
'Understanding Black history is crucial because it's an integral part of American history, a beautiful part of Florida history,' said St. Petersburg Democratic Sen. Darryl Rouson, a co-sponsor of the bill. 'It illuminates the struggles and triumphs of a people who have significantly contributed to the shaping of not only the nation, but of the state. Importantly, it's contributed to the very uniqueness of the state of Florida.'
The vote comes two years after the Legislature created a task force to recommend a location for the museum, a design, a business plan, and its educational content. However, the museum's potential site became the task force's focus over its 10 meetings as St. Johns County and Eatonville in Orange County emerged as the leading locations.
The late Orlando Democratic Sen. Geraldine Thompson, who chaired the task force, wanted the museum in Eatinville, one of the first self-governing Black municipalities in the country.
Florida Memorial University agreed to lease 17 acres of land for the museum, about a 10-minute drive outside of St. Augustine.
St. Johns County was the site of Florida's first Black settlement (Fort Mose) in 1738, when the Spanish still colonized the region.
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