The Mary McLeod Bethune House is a national historic landmark and a museum dedicated to preserving and presenting the life and legacy of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, who lived in the house from 1913 until her death on May 18, 1955. Her last resting place resides nearby. Mary Mcleod Bethune was an educator, women’s and civil rights activist, the founder and president of schools and organizations, the federal government advisor, and director. She was born in 1875, the 15th of 17 children to enslaved people in South Carolina, and was the first in her family to go to school. From a young age, she believed in the power of education and taught her siblings what she had learned at school. In 1904, Bethune established a boarding school for girls in Daytona Beach, Florida. The class grew from six girls to more than 30 within a year. She succeeded in fundraising to expand the school, and it grew every year. In 1931, her school merged with the boys’ Cookman Institute, and in 1941 achieved full college status as Bethune-Cookman College. The house is located in the heart of Bethune-Cookman University campus and kept as when Bethune lived there. It contains fascinating memorabilia and artifacts, her original library, furniture, family heirlooms, and photos of famous visitors and US presidents. Also on campus grounds is a tall bronze statue of Bethune, standing outside the Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center, just a few minutes walk from the Mary McLeod Bethune House. Read more...

The Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Arts is named after Zora Neale Hurston – an African-America writer, folklorist, and anthropologist, who grew up in Eatonville, one of the first all-black self-governing towns in the USA. Hurston collected life stories of people from various cultures, especially from the African-American community. Inspired by her findings, Hurston wrote plays, novels, articles, and short stories. Her most famous book is ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God,’ published in 1937. At the museum, you can learn about Eatonville’s history and culture as well as Hurston’s life experiences throughout the years, including her childhood in Eatonville and her journeys to Haiti, Jamaica, and Honduras. The museum’s gallery displays rotating exhibits of African descent artists from the USA as well as the African diaspora. In addition to the annual Zora Festival, you can participate in gallery talks with artists, curators, and guest scholars. Read more...