Established in 1887, Eatonville, Florida, is known as the oldest African American municipality in America. The town takes great pride in its history and heritage in the arts including writing, painting and composing.
Eatonville was named after Josiah Eaton, a Union Army captain. Mr. Eaton sold the land to a group of African American men who had dreams of starting their own city.
The Robert Hungerford Normal and Industrial School was founded in 1897. Today, the school still exists, but it is now the Robert Hungerford Preparatory High School.
Each year the town showcases its literature, arts and culture during the Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities as a way to celebrate town native and pre-eminent writer of African American literature, Zora Neale Hurston.
Eatonville is located in Orange County, about six miles north of Orlando, Florida.
