Florida’s first Black history museum is going to be built in St. Johns County, and it now has $1 million from the state to get started. (Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.)
ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A Senate Republican on Thursday filed a proposal that would move forward with the creation of the Florida Museum of Black History in St. Johns County.
Sen. Tom Leek, an Ormond Beach Republican whose district includes St. Johns County, filed the bill (SB 308) for consideration during the 2026 legislative session, which will start in January.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: St. Johns County awarded $1 million from the state to help build Florida’s first Black history museum | A story of resilience: St. Augustine’s journey to building Florida’s first Black history museum
The Senate unanimously passed a similar bill during the 2025 session, but the House did not approve it.
Lawmakers in 2023 created a task force to provide recommendations for a Black history museum. The task force recommended putting the museum in St. Johns County. It would go on a site west of St. Augustine that formerly housed Florida Memorial University.
The bill would take a series of steps to establish the museum, including creating the Florida Museum of Black History Board of Directors, which would work with a foundation to oversee the construction and operation of the facility.
Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.
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