Civil Rights Heritage Trail in Central Florida

Orlando's Civil Rights History

Orlando played a significant role in the civil rights movement. The Wells'Built Museum in the Parramore neighborhood preserves the history of Orlando's African American community. The building was once the Wells'Built Hotel, one of the few accommodations for Black travelers during segregation. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited Orlando multiple times during the movement.

Eatonville

Eatonville, just north of Orlando, was incorporated in 1887 as one of the first self-governing all-Black municipalities in the United States. It is the hometown of famed author and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston. The Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Arts celebrates her legacy and the community's history. The annual Zora Festival in January draws visitors from across the country.

Tampa and St. Petersburg

Tampa's Ybor City was notably integrated during the cigar era, with Cuban, Italian, and African American workers mixing more freely than in most Southern cities. St. Petersburg's Deuces Live entertainment district on 22nd Street South tells the story of the city's historically Black business district. The Carter G. Woodson African American Museum in St. Petersburg preserves this heritage.

Group Heritage Tours

BusBrother provides transportation for groups visiting civil rights heritage sites across Central Florida. Educational group tours can combine the Wells'Built Museum, Eatonville, and Zora Neale Hurston sites in a single day trip. These tours are popular with school groups, church groups, and cultural organizations.

Related Guides

Nearby Attractions