ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A newly filed amendment in the Florida Legislature could reshape the state’s approach to honoring Black history.
Instead of establishing a single Florida Museum of Black History, as proposed in earlier versions of Senate Bill 466 and House Bill 659, the amendment would create three separate institutions: one in St. Johns County, one in Eatonville, and one in Opa-Locka.
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Filed by Rep. Bruce Antone of Orange County, the amendment calls on the Florida Department of State to partner with each museum for planning, design, and operations.
Each site would be required to conduct a financial feasibility study and match state funding with contributions from local governments, grants, or philanthropic sources. State support would be capped at $75 million over five years.
Supporters of the original bill envisioned a centralized museum with a statewide scope and unified leadership. As of now, the amendment has not been voted on.
In May 2024, St. Johns County issued a press release announcing that it had been selected by a task force as the location for the state’s inaugural Black History Museum.
But the ultimate decision of location is up to the Legislature.
The proposed St. Johns County location is the former site of the Florida Memorial University campus located near King Street and Holmes Boulevard.
