EATONVILLE, Fla. — On Tuesday, Orange County School Board members voted to draft a letter of intent to partner with the town of Eatonville to bring a Black history museum to the area. The proposed museum would go on about 10 acres of OCPS land, but the property is currently at the center of an active lawsuit.

Commonly referred to as “the Hungerford property,” the location has been the source of community tension and legal battles.

Last year, OCPS made plans to sell 100 acres of the land, which was once home to the now-closed Hungerford Preparatory School. The Southern Poverty Law Center and the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community filed a lawsuit against OCPS in hopes that the land would only be used for educational purposes.

A developer hoped to bring a mixed-use residential and commercial development to the area, but the sale fell through following community outcry.

“Although there is no pending sale of the property, there continues to be a legal dispute over this land that the Orange County School Board holds in trust for the benefit of the community, specifically the children of the town of Eatonville,” said Kirsten Anderson, SPLC deputy legal director of economic justice in a statement in July 2023. “This lawsuit asks the court find that OCPS is not free to simply abandon its obligations to ensure that this land is used for educational or other related purposes in the public interest.”

With a museum proposed to go on about 10 acres of the Hungerford property, Eatonville and OCPS officials hope the plans fit the bill as an educational center.

“Obviously, there're no guarantees in anything, but we will work our hardest. We have strong partnerships and collaborations with the community to see this into fruition,” said Shaniqua “Shan” Rose, CRA Executive Director and museum project manager.

Orange County School Board Member Karen Castor Dentel sought board approval on Tuesday night in reference to the project. Board members agreed to draft a letter of intent to partner with the town of Eatonville for the museum.

Castor Dentel says that the partnership would allow local students to take field-trips to the museum, and it would also be the site of staff training.

For now, the museum is just a proposal. Eatonville officials say there are 12 other cities that are applying for a chance to build the project, which is funded in part by state dollars.

Rose says the museum is expected to cost around $60 to $75 million. Additional funding sources may come from the federal government or county, and they are also expecting private donors to hop on board.

Officials hope that the location in Eatonville has its draws, as it is the nation’s first Black-incorporated municipality, and is rich in African American history.

“A lot of families here were born and raised here. A lot of families are third, fourth, fifth generation,” said Alicia Brinson, an Eatonville resident.

On top of Eatonville’s roots in history, project manager Shan Rose says the location has a draw due to its proximity to theme park attractions, and its central location to schools across the state looking for field trip destinations.

“Central Florida is the center of the state,” said Rose. “Being able to cater to the tourists and teach our history in imperative.” 

Rose says the deadline for applications to the state is on May 15.

Spectrum News reached out to the Southern Poverty Law Center and received the following statement:

“SPLC is aware of Eatonville being considered as a possible location for an African American history museum. Litigation will continue until the court issues a final order, or alternatively, if the parties reach an agreement to resolve the issues regarding the Hungerford property. We would welcome discussions with OCPS to resolve the issues in the lawsuit by ensuring the Hungerford property is used to benefit the public, consistent with the 1951 deed restriction requiring that the land be used for educational purposes. However, OCPS is the current owner of the land at the center of the lawsuit, and they are the only entity that can answer what happens to the land in relation to a museum,” said Kirsten Anderson, SPLC Deputy Legal Director of Economic Justice.

Orange County Public Schools also sent a letter of intent regarding the Eatonville Black History Museum: