Reflections on the 2024 Afrofuturism Conference as Public History

On January 25^th, 2024, I attended the afternoon session of the 2024 ZORA! Festival Afrofuturism Conference in Eatonville, Florida.

This conference titled “Eatonville’s Historic Hungerford School Property and the 21st Century Struggle for Preservation, Economic Revitalization, and Community Control” is designed to examine options in preserving Eatonville as a self-sufficient Black community in an ever-urbanizing world.

The presentations were held by Dr. Walter Greason and Dr. Scot French followed by a discussion panel joined by Orlando Sentinel journalist Desiree Stennett and activists John Beacham and Julian Johnson. The panel discussion was led by Dr. French. The conference was concluded by four attorneys working for the Eatonville ‘Land Back’ case.

Dr. Walter Greason, Macalester College historian, who is the preeminent historian of Afrofuturism, Black Speculative Arts, and digital economies in the world, stressed the importance of supporting vulnerable communities, such as Eatonville, Florida, as they strive to retain their place in Black history. He is an example of how public history and communities can work together to preserve historically Black communities and to protect their member’s land. His goal is to find innovative ways to spur growth and enhance opportunity, to change policy and to help to preserve the rich history of Eatonville and the diversity of the area.  

Greason emphasizes the concept of “place-making” through three stories and the history of Eatonville, underlining the notion that events shaping African American communities are not merely “a matter of chance.”. In the first story, he presents a series of seemingly coincidental events leading to a tragic outcome, questioning whether chance plays a role. The subsequent stories involve improbable events, raising the same question about the role of chance.

Transitioning to the history of African American place-making, Greason discusses the transformative impact of Booker T. Washington’s Tuskegee Institute and the Colored Conventions in the late nineteenth century. He highlights figures like Timothy Thomas Fortune and Frederick Douglass, showcasing their efforts in creating networks, empowering communities, and laying the foundation for the Black Renaissance.

The convergence of timelines is emphasized the connection of the historical struggles for justice with contemporary challenges. In his presentation, Greason identified a form of “counter convergence,” represented by attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion, critical race theory, and affirmative action. He stressed that the preservation of the Hungerford School and Eatonville as pivotal in progressing toward Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision of the Beloved Community.

Dr. Scot French’s presentation focused on the history of Eatonville focuses on its origins and the challenges faced by this historic Black community. The town was founded in the late 1800s by Joe Clark, a formerly enslaved man, who envisioned a colony for colored people. Facing difficulties in acquiring land, philanthropist Louis Lawrence from Utica, New York, played a crucial role in making the dream a reality. In 1887, Eatonville became the first incorporated Black community in the U.S.

The building of the Hungerford school in Eatonville was an important chapter in the town’s growth. Dr. French explained the ownership of the school’s property. In 1951, the Orange County School District in Florida acquired the Eatonville property from the trustees, stipulating that it must continue to serve as an educational facility for Black children. Despite objections from one trustee who contested the sale, the Florida Supreme Court ultimately permitted the transaction. In 2020, the school board, with minimal community notification, razed the high school. In the previous year, the school board approved the proposed $14.6 million acquisition of the site by a development group.

Despite being celebrated as a model of African American entrepreneurship and governance, Eatonville has encountered historical challenges. The town, named after Josiah Eaton, a prominent white citizen, was subject to poverty, racial tensions, and gentrification. Residents try to resist urban development plans. Throughout its existence, Eatonville has demonstrated reliance, survived economic hardships and maintained community pride. Dr. French’s highlighted the coexistence of Eatonville’s past and present and its future continually being reimagined. This conclusion led to the discussion panel of Eatonville’s forefront activists John Beacham and Julian Johnson, also featuring Orlando Sentinel journalist Desiree Stennett.

Both activists as well as Desiree Stennett reported their activities to help the community in order to get the land where the Hungerford School once sat and using that land to build a community related structure. Johnson and Beacham explained how much time and money they privately have invested to give Eatonville its voice on this issue.

At the end of the conference, four attorneys explained why and how they defend the town’s interest and provided information of the step-by-step success of the case.

The conference was a great way for me to learn more how activism works and how much emotions, sense of belonging, and diligence is required fighting injustice, in this case the gentrification of Eatonville.