Proposed Location of Black History Museum in St. Augustine

State legislators in 2023 proposed plans to establish a Florida Museum of Black History.The legislation, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, created a nine-member task force to provide recommendations for the planning, construction, operation, and administration of the museum.

During a meeting in Tallahassee on Friday, April 19, the Task Force placed the former home of Florida Memorial University (known then as Florida Normal & Industrial Institute) in St. Augustine in the top spot for Florida's first state-sponsored Museum of Black History.

Since the announcement of this proposal, there has been some misinformation circulating about FMU selling this historic land. This is not the case; the Florida Memorial University Foundation (FMUF) has agreed to lease 14.5 acres of property in St. Augustine to St. Johns County for the purpose of building the Florida Museum of Black History.

When completed, the museum will be an outstanding historical and financial partnership for FMU and will create job opportunities for the citizens of St. Johns County.