Celebrating the Diverse History of Central Florida’s Black Communities: Black History Month in Orlando

by | February 1, 2024

Every February, we celebrate the achievements, success and triumphs of Black Americans in Central Florida and beyond. 

Starting in 1925, historian Carter G. Woodson and his Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) began celebrating Negro History Week in 1925, celebrating the history of Black Americans. In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford and the association expanded the event to the entire month of February.

We can measure the contributions of Black Americans in every single facet of our modern society. Activists, entrepreneurs, inventors, and more; one of these individuals lived right here in Central Florida: Zora Neale Hurston, an influential writer whose stories were based on her childhood in the Historic Town of Eatonville. Zora was initially born in Alabama, but her family relocated to Eatonville, Florida where they saw the fruits of their labor flourish. Zora’s father even became the mayor of Eatonville, and Zora completed her high school education and went on to pursue her associate’s and bachelor’s in anthropology at Barnard College. Zora was a hard-working student who loved to be involved in student government and found her passion for writing. At Howard University, she co-founded The Hilltop, a renowned student newspaper at the historical Black college. Zora was a contributor to the Black cultural renaissance through her writing, which celebrated, embraced, and taught Black heritage and culture.  Her writing and life’s work studying Black history is more relevant than ever, as these communities are still discriminated against and attacked by systematic racism, rooted in past institutions and individual hate. 

Florida today still sees attempts at erasing Black history, and just this past January, we saw the DeSantis-appointed education board vote to ban efforts at inclusivity on college campuses, and sociology courses which are integral to understanding how Black Americans are affected by institutional bias and racism. The Governor did this after attacking minorities and young diverse college students by removing the state’s funds for Diversity, Equality, and Inclusive (DEI programs) in his war on “woke.” The DEI served to promote inclusion and diversity on college campuses, but now that it has been revoked, students and professors are feeling the “chilling effect” of free speech and will not be allowed to engage in political and social activism on campus. 

Similarly, during the lead-up to the legislative season, SB 1780 was filed in the Florida Senate which would seek to create penalties for accusing someone of racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia, while protecting those who do engage in discriminatory remarks.  Last July, DeSantis put into effect a bill that limited discussions of Black history, racism, and racial privilege in schools and workplaces, although it was stopped by federal court judge Mark Walker. These constant attacks on access and discussions of the history of an entire section of America threaten our African American communities and neighbors. It is incredibly important for us not only to fight back but uplift the black and brown voices around us in the fight against injustice, racism, and bigotry.

As you go about your days this February, look around, and see how you can find and study pieces of Black history all around you and uplift your neighbors and communities. Check out some of the following events happening here in Central Florida that honor and celebrate Black History Month!