The reconstruction of Fort Mose will add another layer to the rich history in St. Augustine and St. Johns County. Another potential project on the horizon could be the icing on the cake.

Preliminary work is underway on a project creating the Florida Museum of Black History and St. Augustine is one of the communities being considered for the site. The project to create a museum celebrating Florida’s Black history comes from a bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May of last year and includes the selection of a nine-member Task Force appointed by DeSantis, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner.

The Task Force is charged with providing recommendations for the planning, construction, operation and administration of the Museum. According to the legislation signed by DeSantis, the Museum is to be “a multipurpose facility capable of generating self-sustaining revenues, with archival research and storage facilities, meeting rooms, a full-service banquet facility and a performing arts center.” The Task Force is required to file its final report by July 1.

Fifteen other communities across the Sunshine State – including Daytona Beach — made presentations to the Florida Museum of Black History Task Force in late 2023 to be the home of the museum.

St. Johns County Administrator Joy Andrews made the case for St. Augustine, telling Task Force members the Museum would be an important addition to the area’s rich African-American history.

“We are humbly before you to champion a narrative deeply woven into the very fabric of our county and our state of Florida’s identity,” she said. “The profound and enduring tapestry of Black history in the region of the First Coast and St. Augustine is a cornerstone of our history and our story.”

Greg White, president of the West Augustine Historical Community Development Corp., also spoke on behalf of St. Augustine’s bid, along with Thomas Jackson, president of the St. Augustine Historical Society.

“We have so much rich history here,” Jackson said. “We have the place where the Black history museum naturally should be.”

Tera Meeks, St. Johns County Tourism and Cultural Development Director, said the Florida Museum of Black History would be “a near seamless fit in St. Johns County” and the St. Augustine location “would certainly provide a cohesive, central location to tie together the many Black history stories and experiences the greater area has to offer.”

St. Johns County Commission Chair Sarah Arnold told the Task Force the county is fully behind the effort to bring the Museum to St. Augustine.

“Our board is in full support of this project and is committed to any and all resources to make this happen,” she said.

The Florida Memorial University property in St. Augustine was identified as a possible location for the Museum. Florida Memorial College, now operating in south Florida, has sent a letter expressing interest in enabling the sale of  some of the land it still owns in St. Augustine for the Museum. The effort to locate the museum in St Augustine has also gained significant local and regional support which includes the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, JAXPORT, the city of Palm Coast and the City of Jacksonville.

To learn more about the Florida Museum of Black History Task Force visit their site – https://dos.fl.gov/historical/museums/blackhistorytaskforce/