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The Lee County Black History Society, Inc. proudly presents an incredible opportunity for high school seniors eager to pursue their higher education dreams. The 2025 Igniting the Future College Scholarship invites students to take a powerful step towards their aspirations.    **Application Details:** - **Deadline:** Applications are due by May 25, 2025. **Eligibility Requirements:** - Candidates must be seniors currently attending a Lee County high school. - An overall GPA [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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. [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]