ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — State leaders presented a $1 million check Thursday at a ceremony to jumpstart the Florida Museum of Black History, marking a milestone in celebrating over 450 years of Black history in the state.

The ceremony, held at the Collier-Blocker-Puryear Park in West Augustine, was filled with music, applause, and the voices of community members reflecting on the importance of preserving and honoring Black history.

“It is very important because I feel like we don’t get enough recognition as we should… a lot of us have impacted the world in ways you can’t even describe,” said Christopher Carroll Jr., a St. Johns County resident and HBCU graduate.

The museum will be located on West King Street, in the area of the historic Canright House, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was

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