Commission proclaims February Black History Month, highlights Fort Mose reconstruction

The City Commission presented a proclamation designating February 2025 as Black History Month and called attention to Fort Mose, the site of the first legally sanctioned free Black settlement in what is now the United States.

Commissioner Cynthia Garris read a proclamation honoring Fort Mose’s history and the recent fundraising and grant activity that, staff and community representatives said, will allow reconstruction work to proceed. Members of the Fort Mose Historical Society, volunteers and Florida State Parks staff attended and described the site’s significance and the park’s plans.

Speakers noted milestones in the site’s history cited in the proclamation, including Don Pedro Menéndez’s 1565 arrival; the 1738 land grant that enabled the free Black community at Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose (Fort Mose); the fort’s destruction and abandonment in the 18th and early 19th centuries; and later archaeological work that recovered fort remains. A speaker from the Fort Mose Historical Society said that, after decades of advocacy and fundraising with partners including Florida State Parks Foundation and other donors, “reconstructing Fort Mose is finally becoming a reality.” Park Manager Michael Watkins, who was introduced during the proclamation presentation, thanked the commission for the recognition on behalf of Florida State Parks.

Commissioners and community members encouraged residents to visit Fort Mose once construction and programming are complete; staff said a fort reconstruction groundbreaking had already occurred and that the park is expected to be open for tours and reenactments later in the year.

No formal action or vote beyond issuance of the ceremonial proclamation was recorded.