After careful deliberation, the committee tasked with selecting the site for the highly anticipated Florida Museum of Black History has announced its finalists. St. Johns County, Eatonville in Orange County, and Opa-locka in Miami-Dade County have emerged as the frontrunners, leaving behind other contenders, including Sarasota.

The decision, reached on Friday by the Florida Museum of Black History Task Force, comes after a rigorous evaluation of eight potential locations. These finalists will now undergo thorough scrutiny by experts at Florida A&M University’s esteemed School of Architecture and Engineering Technology. The comprehensive analysis, slated for completion before the May 21 meeting, marks a pivotal step toward realizing this significant cultural endeavor.

During Friday’s meeting, Senator Geraldine Thompson, a Windermere Democrat who chairs the task force, emphasized the paramount importance of selecting a location that ensures the museum’s self-sustainability. “There are so many stories that we haven’t told, that we will have an opportunity to tell, through this museum,” Senator Thompson remarked. “It’s very, very important that we choose a location that will mean the museum will be self-sustaining and won’t continually be a budget item for the state of Florida,” she added.

The establishment of the task force in 2023, mandated by state lawmakers and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis, underscores Florida’s commitment to commemorating and celebrating the rich tapestry of Black history. The legislation tasked the committee with developing comprehensive plans for the museum, spanning various epochs from the 19th century through Reconstruction, the Jim Crow era, and the civil rights movement.

“We know about the NASA mathematicians and engineers, but we want to be able to stretch that out as well in a much broader way,” noted John Grandage, assistant director of Historical Research at the Department of State, during Friday’s proceedings. Integral to the legislation is the requirement for the committee to devise a sustainable plan for the museum’s long-term viability.

As anticipation builds for the unveiling of the chosen site, stakeholders and communities across Florida eagerly await the realization of this seminal institution, poised to illuminate the richness and resilience of Black history for generations to come.