A state court has ruled in favor of the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community, allowing their lawsuit concerning land use to proceed. The case focuses on ensuring that the historic land in Eatonville, once home to Harlem Renaissance writer Zora Neale Hurston, continues to serve educational and community purposes.
N.Y. Nathiri, executive director of the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community, expressed satisfaction with the court's decision: “We are pleased with the Court’s ruling that our lawsuit is allowed to proceed. This decision ensures that we will have our day in court. Eatonville is a precious part of our country’s history. We believe that residents, not the Orange County Public School Board, are best able to determine how our land should be used.”
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) amended its complaint in July 2023 by adding Bea Hatler as a plaintiff. Hatler is a descendant of Robert Hungerford, whose family originally donated 160 acres for establishing the Robert Hungerford Normal and Industrial School—the first school for Black children in Central Florida.
Kirsten Anderson, SPLC Deputy Legal Director and counsel for P.E.C., stated: “The court’s decision today allows the case to move forward. We are seeking to ensure that the School Board meets its obligations to safeguard the land for educational purposes.”
The property in question was once home to Robert Hungerford Preparatory School, founded with help from Booker T. Washington in 1897 on approximately 300 acres. Orange County Public Schools (OCPS), which currently owns about 100 remaining acres of this land, had planned a sale for mixed-use development but faced significant community opposition leading to termination of this agreement earlier this year. OCPS has yet to decide on future plans for the property.
The Southern Poverty Law Center works toward racial justice across communities by dismantling white supremacy and promoting human rights.