This week's episode centers on Eatonville, the first all-Black town in America, incorporated in 1887. Craig recently focused one of his Florida Phoenix columns on efforts by residents there to fight off a development project for what is known as the Hungerford property, land Eatonville residents believe was stolen from them by the Orange County Public Schools. Our guests are Julian Johnson, founder of the 1887 First brand, and John Beacham, owner of Eatonville 1887 tours.
Author Zora Neale Hurston, Eatonville’s most famous resident. Photo: Florida Archives.
Craig Pittman is the award-winning author of Oh, Florida!: How America’s Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country, The Scent of Scandal, Cat Tale, Manatee Insanity and The State You’re In, and co-author of Paving Paradise. Born in Pensacola, he graduated from Troy State University in Alabama, where his muckraking work for the student paper prompted an agitated dean to label him “the most destructive force on campus.” Since then he has covered a variety of newspaper beats and quite a few natural disasters, including hurricanes, wildfires and the Florida Legislature.
