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Our Blog2023-03-01T11:25:47-05:00

12th Annual Juneteenth Community Celebration returns to Fort Myers

June 15 festival recognizes African American celebration marking end of slavery in the U.S. The Lee County Black History Society, Dunbar Festival Committee and the African Coalition of Southwest Florida are partnered to host the 12th Annual Juneteenth Community Celebration at Roberto Clemente Park, 1936 Henderson Ave. in Fort Myers from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 15. The event was free to attend. “Juneteenth is a [...]

June 26th, 2024|

Youth Innovation Night features Black innovators

Nearly 300 people attended the event that highlighted Latimer Fellows and STEAM activities hosted by the Lee County Black History Society The Lee County Black History Society, in partnership with the Edison Awards and The Lewis Latimer Fellowship Program, offered “Youth Innovation Night: Unleash Your Super Powers” on April 16 at the Williams Academy Black History Museum in Fort Myers. The event featured a panel of Latimer Fellows from [...]

April 29th, 2024|

Scholarship Now Available for Lee County High School Seniors

The Lee County Black History Society, Inc. is proud to announce the opportunity for high school seniors with an offer of admission to attend a college or university the opportunity to apply for the 2024 Igniting the Future College Scholarship. Applications are due by May 19, 2024. Applicants must: Be a senior currently attending a Lee County High School Have an overall GPA of 2.5-3.8 for Emerging Scholar qualifications [...]

April 29th, 2024|

Lee County Black History Society, Edison and Ford Winter Estates honor reciprocal membership in January

History Society members get free admission to Edison and Ford Winter Estates Lee County Black History Society and Edison and Ford Winter Estates announce free daytime admission during the month of January to either musuem with membership to one of the organizations. The reciprocal agreement is for daytime admission at Edison and Ford Winter Estates for members of the Lee County Black History Society. Membership to the Lee County [...]

January 5th, 2024|

Lee County Black History Society’s Holiday in the Park marks record turnout

The community came together for a weekend filled with joy, entertainment and celebration at The Lee County Black History Society’s (LCBHS) annual Holiday in the Park festivities, held at Roberto Clemente Park in Fort Myers on Dec. 1 for Holiday in the Park and and Dec. 2 for Movie in the Park. This year's events witnessed the largest turnout ever, drawing close to 800 attendees. The crowd was engaged [...]

December 27th, 2023|

The 11th Annual Holiday in the Park events are Dec. 1 and 2 at Roberto Clemente Park

Movie in the Park is planned Dec. 1, Holiday in the Park with parade and tree lighting is Dec. 2  The Lee County Black History Society is hosting the 11th Annual Holiday in the Park starting with Movie in the Park, Dec. 1, and Holiday in the Park, with a free parade and community tree lighting, Dec. 2. Both events are at Roberto Clemente Park, 1936 Henderson Ave. in [...]

November 17th, 2023|

Illuminate the Past, Ignite the Future: Lee County Black History Society’s Museum After Dark event Sets Historical Milestones

The Lee County Black History Society’s “Illuminate the Past, Ignite the Future” Museum After Dark event on Friday, Sept. 8, at the Williams Academy Black History Museum marked the Society’s inaugural fundraiser for the $20 million African American Cultural Center’s capital campaign. “The event not only celebrated the remarkable history and contributions of the African- American community but also marked a pivotal moment in the Society’s journey toward the establishment [...]

September 21st, 2023|

Southwest Florida Symphony hosts movie screening of Green Book with Introduction from Lee County Black History Society

The Southwest Florida Symphony, the only professional orchestra in Lee County and fourth oldest orchestra in the state, will feature “Green Book” as part of its “Cinema with the Symphony” summer movie screening series. The showing will take place at 6:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 11, at the symphony’s Artistic & Operations Center at Bell Tower in Fort Myers, 13499 S. Cleveland Ave., Suite #175. Lee County Black History Society [...]

July 20th, 2023|

11th Annual Juneteenth Community Celebration in Fort Myers brings together the community

The event included groundbreaking for a new inclusive playground, performers and community  The Lee County Black History Society, Dunbar Festival Committee, City of Fort Myers and the African Coalition of Southwest Florida celebrated the community on June 17 at a Juneteenth event to mark the end of slavery in the United States.  The day-long celebration at Roberto Clemente Park included performers, recognition of students, prayer, historic readings and a [...]

July 11th, 2023|

Join us June 17 for the 11th Annual Juneteenth Community Festival

The free Juneteenth Community Festival recognizes one of the oldest African American recognized celebrations that mark the end of slavery in the United States. Lee County Black History Society, Dunbar Festival Committee and the African Coalition of Southwest Florida are partnering to host the 11th Annual Juneteenth Community Celebration at Roberto Clemente Park, 1936 Henderson Ave. in Fort Myers from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 17. [...]

June 13th, 2023|

Autumn J. Watkins Holloway appointed Executive Director of the Lee County Black History Society

The Lee County Black History Society (LCBHS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Autumn J. Watkins Holloway, M.Ed. as its new Executive Director. With nearly 20 years of experience as a professional nonprofit administrative leader and compassionate educator, Holloway brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to preserving and promoting Black history and culture in Lee County. “As a Fort Myers native and fourth-generation Dunbar resident, [...]

June 8th, 2023|

Fort Myers Celebration of Florida’s Emancipation Day May 20

The free program celebrated entertainers and female activists in Florida’s Black History On May 20, the Lee County Black History Society presented “The Women of 1865 and Thereafter” at Roberto Clemente Park, 1936 Henderson Ave., Fort Myers. The program was free to public and included approximately 50 guests for a tented event in the park. Guests heard from speakers and presenters about Florida’s civil rights activists during and following [...]

June 1st, 2023|

Women’s History Month: Women who shaped Southwest Florida

Established in 1994, the Lee County Black History Society chose to become a “history society” rather than a “historical society” in order to live, breathe, and grow and to better preserve and commemorate the cultural and educational contributions of both locally and nationally known Black people. In celebration of Women’s History Month in March, I would like to highlight just a few of the many local women who shaped [...]

April 7th, 2023|

History of Health Care in Southwest Florida’s Black Community

By Charles Barnes, Lee County Black History Society Chairman of the Board of Directors National Minority Health Month is observed in April, designed to bring awareness of poorer health outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities than their White counterparts. The observance was started in 1915, when Booker T. Washington established National Negro Health Week. Many health disparities that continue to disproportionately affect minorities are rooted in poverty as well as [...]

April 6th, 2023|

Attorney Joe North donates $100,000 to the Lee County Black History Society for the African American Cultural Center

In an effort to spur community support and energize fundraising for a planned African American Cultural Center, Attorney Joe North and his family including his wife Benita, son, Joe North Jr., daughter, Kem Longo, and Joe’s father, James North, presented a check for $100,000 to the Lee County Black History Society on March 15 at the Williams Academy Black History Museum at Roberto Clemente Park in Fort Myers. “Over [...]

March 21st, 2023|

Williams Academy Black History Museum Remains a Community Staple in Dunbar Neighborhood

By Erica Van Buren, Fort Myers News-Press February 21, 2023 The Williams Academy Black History Museum, a staple in the Dunbar community, highlights the accomplishments of historical figures that called Fort Myers home. “The Williams Academy Black History Museum opened in January 2001,” said Charles Barnes, chairman of the Lee County Black History Society. “The building was an old schoolhouse built in 1912. It was actually the first government building [...]

March 3rd, 2023|

Black History Month activities planned at Roberto Clemente Park

Movie Night planned Feb. 10; Heart Hustle health event Feb. 25 The Lee County Black History Society is hosting two events for Black History Month, including Movie in the Park Feb. 10 and Heart Hustle, a health and wellness event Feb. 25. On Friday, Feb. 10, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., the society will show “Teach Us All,” a 2017 documentary that examines educational inequality after the 60th anniversary [...]

February 8th, 2023|

Dunbar residents consider Black present, future as well as history

As Black History Month begins in 2023, people who live in the Dunbar community say they’ve come a long way, but there’s more to do. Keoshia Brown, a science teacher at Dunbar High School, has a message for Black parents and anyone else who wants to listen. “We are Black history, I am Black history, and it is our responsibility to make sure we remember it and we discuss it [...]

February 3rd, 2023|

Join the Lee County Black History Society Team!

Office Manager needed to help shape and support the future of the organization The Lee County Black History Society (LCBHS) is looking for a passionate community member to manage operations in the office of the LCBHS and the Williams Academy Black History Museum in Clemente Park in Fort Myers as an Office Manager. The office manager is responsible for keeping the office running smoothly and overseeing administrative support. The job [...]

January 4th, 2023|

The 10th Annual Holiday in the Park kicks off Dec. 3 at Roberto Clemente Park

The annual Movie in the Park screening ‘Jingle Jangle’ is Friday, Dec. 9 The Lee County Black History Society is hosting two popular events for the holiday season, including its 10th annual Holiday in the Park and annual Movie in the Park. Holiday in the Park will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3 at Roberto Clemente Park in Fort Myers. With the theme “Celebrating African [...]

November 20th, 2022|

Florida Black History Documentary Offered as Part of Movie in the Park Series

Date: May 10, 2022 Three showings of a documentary about Florida Black history are planned May 13, 14 and 20 FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 10, 2022) – In celebration of Emancipation Day in Florida May 20, the Lee County Black History Society offers free screenings of “Invisible History: Middle Florida’s Hidden Roots.” The movie will be shown at Roberto Clemente Park, 1936 Henderson Ave., Fort Myers. On Friday, May 13 [...]

September 20th, 2022|

10th Annual Juneteenth Community Celebration with the Dunbar Festival Committee

Date: June 3, 2022 The Family Day in the Park recognizes one of the oldest African American recognized celebrations that mark the end of slavery in the United States The Dunbar Festival Committee and the Lee County Black History Society are partnering to host its 10th Annual Juneteenth Community Celebration at Roberto Clemente Park in Fort Myers from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 18.  This years’ Juneteenth [...]

September 20th, 2022|

Williams Academy Black History Museum Presents 20th of May Emancipation Day Virtual Exhibit

Emancipation was proclaimed in Tallahassee on May 20, 1865, 11 days after the end of the Civil War, and two years after the Proclamation first issued by President Abraham Lincoln freed those enslaved in Southern states. For this reason, Emancipation Day is traditionally celebrated on.

June 2nd, 2021|

What does Emancipation Day – Winning Essay

What Emancipation Day May 20th Means to Me, by Errianna Quallo This contest was sponsored by the Florida Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials. “What does Emancipation Day, May 20th mean to me?”. Explain the historical significance of Emancipation Day, May 20th, 1865, and describe what this day means to you. Opportunity “We the People,” the first three words of the United States Constitution, is a potent phrase that [...]

June 2nd, 2021|

Dunbar Easter Parade Founder Evelyn Sams Canady (ENCORE)

This Sunday marks the Easter Holiday and here in Southwest Florida residents are gearing up for a long-held tradition in Fort Myers that today attracts tens of thousands of people:  The Dunbar Easter Parade.  This week’s encore essay from News-Press storyteller Amy Bennett Williams pays homage to the legendary local woman who founded the parade74 years ago. Evelyn Sams Canady was an educator as well as an important civic and religious leader [...]

April 19th, 2019|

The Lee County Black History Society offers a glimpse into history

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Friday is the start of Black History Month, and we want to share with you the history of some African American heritage in Southwest Florida. The Lee County Black History Society building is the perfect way to kick off the celebration. It’s located at 1936 Henderson Avenue in Fort Myers, and the building was actually the first government-funded black school in Fort Myers. Inside, there are walls [...]

February 1st, 2019|

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