In what's a thumbs-up for historical recognition, the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners has all agreed to let a Black History Museum set up shop on land previously part of the Florida Memorial University campus in St. Augustine. This move marks a significant stride toward celebrating African American contributions in the Sunshine State, and has supporters buzzing with the possibilities.
According to details in a recent press release by the St. Johns County, the Board passed a unanimous Resolution giving the OK for the County Administrator to sign a Ground Lease Agreement with Florida Memorial University Foundation, Inc. Scheduled next is the FMUF Board of Trustees to take a look at the deal during their 2025 Homecoming Week. Selected back in May 2024 by the Florida Museum of Black History Task Force, St. Johns County has been in the spotlight as the future home for this important cultural institution.
Let's not forget the financial backing this project has received. The State of Florida isn't just waving pompoms from the sidelines; it threw $1 million into the pot for planning and hammering out a blueprint of the Florida Black History Museum over in West Augustine. The County is set to lease the land from FMUF, mapping out the future museum's footprint as long as the cash flow from the State keeps coming.
The current agreement is a two-year lease with the option to extend for up to 120 years, depending on available funding. During this period, St. Johns County will pay $1,000 per month in rent. Before the lease ends, the County and FMUF will meet to discuss future rent rates based on funding progress and museum planning.
The lease approval follows a September 18 event where the County celebrated a $1 million allocation to support the museum project.
