Florida's Black History Museum in West Augustine: St. Augustine Adds $25,000 to County's $125,000, but Ground Is Not Yet Broken

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - The St. Augustine City Commission approved $25,000 for the foundation working to establish Florida's Black History Museum in West Augustine on Oct. 26, adding to a $125,000 contribution approved by St. Johns County commissioners in September. The two local commitments total $150,000 for a proposed museum campus on the former Florida Memorial University property, according to Jacksonville Today's reports published Sept. 17 and Oct. 27. Despite the latest funding decisions, ground has not yet been broken on the project, which continues to face legislative hurdles and substantial private fundraising needs.

The proposed museum campus would cover approximately 100,000 square feet under early plans and include a museum building, performing arts center and events center, Jacksonville Today reported. The foundation behind the project is seeking between $25 million and $50 million in private funding. Meanwhile, legislation needed to advance the project has passed the Florida Senate in successive years but failed to pass the House, according to the publication's March 19 report.

What St. Augustine and St. Johns County Approved

The St. Augustine City Commission agreed Oct. 26 to award $25,000 to the foundation raising money and support for Florida's Black History Museum. Jacksonville Today reported the decision Oct. 27, following an earlier commitment from the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners. The city's award brings the combined local government contributions to $150,000.

The county's funding decision came in September, when commissioners approved a $125,000 budget amendment using county reserves, according to Jacksonville Today's Sept. 17 report. That measure passed 3-2, with commissioners Sarah Arnold, Clay Murphy and Christian Whitehurst supporting it. Commissioners Krista Joseph and Ann Taylor opposed the county appropriation.

The city and county approvals represent separate government funding decisions for the same museum foundation. The county authorized the larger amount through its budget amendment, while the city followed with a $25,000 award approximately one month later. Together, the contributions provide local funding as the foundation continues working toward its larger financial and planning objectives.

Foundation leader Howard Holley described the county's contribution as an investment in "capacity building," according to Jacksonville Today. The foundation plans to raise $25 million to $50 million in private funds, which is far larger than the two local appropriations. It also plans to hire a consultant for a strategic plan.

Where the Museum Would Be Built in West Augustine

The proposed Florida Museum of Black History would be located in West Augustine on the former campus of Florida Memorial University. Jacksonville Today identified the property as the selected location for the project. Florida Memorial University is a historically Black university whose former campus provides the setting for the proposed museum development.

Early proposals envision a campus of approximately 100,000 square feet, according to Jacksonville Today's Oct. 27 report. The concept includes three principal components: a museum building, a performing arts center and an events center. These are proposed features rather than completed facilities.

The property was selected through a process that began after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation establishing a site-selection effort in 2023, according to Jacksonville Today's reporting. Holley participated in the board that selected the location. The former university campus subsequently became the focus of planning and funding discussions.

St. Johns County also entered into a ground lease with the Florida Memorial University Foundation, according to Jacksonville Today's March 19 report. That arrangement is among the steps documented in the project's development history. The museum itself has not yet reached the groundbreaking stage.

The Funding Picture: $150,000 in Local Government Support

The two most recent local funding decisions establish $150,000 in city and county support for the museum foundation. Jacksonville Today reported the county's $125,000 appropriation in September and the city's $25,000 award in October. Those amounts are separate from the foundation's stated goal of raising between $25 million and $50 million privately.

The combined $150,000 in local commitments represents 0.6% of the lower end of the foundation's private fundraising goal. Compared with the upper $50 million target, the same amount represents 0.3%. Those calculations compare the newly approved local contributions with the foundation's stated private fundraising objectives and do not establish how much private money has already been raised.

Jacksonville Today's Sept. 17 report said the foundation plans to hire a consultant to prepare a strategic plan. The organization also intends to work with Visit Florida as part of its development efforts. These planning steps accompany the fundraising goal described by the foundation.

State-level planning and design funding has also been discussed in Jacksonville Today's reporting, including coverage published March 19, Sept. 17 and Oct. 27. The March report described an earlier legislative appropriation and another amount included in a Senate budget proposal. Jacksonville Today's Sept. 17 and Oct. 27 articles report that the state has awarded the county $2 million for planning and design, while the March report described $1 million approved in 2025 and another $1 million in the Senate budget. This story does not add those figures together, and a final state total was not confirmed. The $150,000 is the combined amount from the city and county decisions.

Why the Museum Still Faces Legislative Hurdles

State legislation remains a central part of the museum development process, according to Jacksonville Today's March 19 report. The publication reported that the Senate version of the museum legislation had passed the Florida Senate two years in a row. The corresponding House version failed to advance in both years.

Sen. Tom Leek, a Republican from Ormond Beach, sponsored the Senate version of the legislation. Rep. Kiyan Michael, a Republican from Jacksonville, sponsored the House version, according to Jacksonville Today. Despite the Senate's repeated approval, no version of the legislation had reached Gov. Ron DeSantis at the time of the March report.

The legislative situation is separate from the city and county decisions to provide foundation funding. Local governments have approved contributions even as the state legislative process has not produced the final legislation described in the March reporting. Local funding approvals do not resolve the outstanding legislative steps.

Jacksonville Today's March report also cited St. Johns County Administrator Joy Andrews regarding the amount needed for planning and design. Andrews expressed concern that $3 million would not cover the full planning and design costs. That assessment provides context for the scale of work under discussion without establishing a final project construction budget.

The museum foundation continues to pursue financial and organizational preparations while the legislative process remains unresolved. Jacksonville Today's reporting identifies private fundraising, strategic planning and government coordination as components of that work. None of those activities establishes that construction has begun.

Foundation Leader Seeks City Representation and a Task Force

Howard Holley, who leads the museum foundation, has proposed a role for the city in the project's governance and planning, according to Jacksonville Today's Oct. 27 report. Holley also served on the board responsible for choosing the museum site. His involvement has extended from site selection to subsequent discussions with local officials.

Holley wants the city to appoint a board member, Jacksonville Today reported. He also has proposed forming a task force once the Florida Legislature advances the project. Those requests are separate from the city's recently approved $25,000 financial contribution.

The St. Augustine City Commission did not immediately act on those additional governance requests, according to the Oct. 27 report. Mayor-elect Cynthia Garris urged waiting until two new commissioners are sworn in during December. The city therefore approved the financial award while postponing decisions about board representation and a potential task force.

The distinction leaves two aspects of the city's involvement at different stages. The $25,000 contribution received approval Oct. 26, while the requested appointment and task force remain unresolved. Jacksonville Today's report identifies the December commission transition as a reason for holding off on the additional decisions.

The Museum Project's History Since 2023

The effort to establish Florida's Black History Museum has involved state action, site selection, local agreements and multiple funding discussions. Jacksonville Today's September reporting identified 2023 as the year legislation established the task force for selecting a site. The former Florida Memorial University campus in West Augustine subsequently emerged as the chosen location.

By March 2026, Jacksonville Today was reporting on the project's legislative obstacles, planning costs and the county's ground lease with the Florida Memorial University Foundation. The report also identified the Senate and House sponsors involved in the legislative effort. The disagreement between the chambers over advancing legislation remained unresolved in that reporting.

The St. Johns County Commission took its funding action in September 2026. Commissioners approved $125,000 from reserves through a 3-2 vote, according to Jacksonville Today's Sept. 17 article. The foundation's private fundraising plans and proposed consultant-led strategic planning were also described in that coverage.

The St. Augustine City Commission followed on Oct. 26 with its $25,000 award. Jacksonville Today's Oct. 27 report documented the latest contribution and the city's decision to postpone additional governance discussions. The two approvals brought local government funding commitments to $150,000.

What Happens Next for the West Augustine Proposal

The next steps identified in Jacksonville Today's reporting involve continued foundation planning, additional fundraising and unresolved state legislative action. The foundation has described a private fundraising goal of $25 million to $50 million and plans to hire a strategic planning consultant. Its proposed museum campus still consists of early plans rather than completed construction.

At the city level, discussion of appointing a foundation board member and creating a task force was deferred, according to Jacksonville Today's Oct. 27 report. The city is preparing for two new commissioners to be sworn in during December. Holley's task force proposal also depends on progress through the Florida Legislature.

St. Johns County's published schedule identifies a County Commission meeting for Nov. 17 at 9 a.m. at 500 San Sebastian View, according to the county's official website. That meeting date is part of the county's schedule and does not establish that the museum project will be considered at that meeting. The county's September funding approval and the city's October contribution remain the documented local financial decisions for the foundation.

For now, the museum proposal remains centered on the former Florida Memorial University campus in West Augustine. The foundation has local government commitments totaling $150,000, an identified private fundraising goal and plans for additional organizational development, according to Jacksonville Today's reporting. The proposed museum, performing arts center and events center have not yet reached the construction stage.