Gullah Geechee community of independent, armed community of Blacks who was skilled in iron work and various other needed vocations is being recognized and remembered with a park. Fort George Island Cultural Center has some of the history of this group including a rare pic of one of the descendants - Easter Bartley.
Blacks lived independently in many parts of Florida. Jacksonville was the first city the Black Civil War troops came. The History of Black fighting back and living independently was well known. This is not taught in local Jacksonville schools. Southern education has miseducated many generations of Blacks. Check out the book below to get a researched history about Florida and the Blacks who inhabited it before European arrivals (French, Spanish and English). Learn also about the Seminole Wars which was the longest U.S. wars with Blacks and Natives ultimately leading to the Civil War.
