LaVilla: Jacksonville’s Historic Heartbeat
Founded in 1866, LaVilla is one of Florida’s oldest urban Gullah Geechee communities. Once home to the largest passenger railroad terminal south of Washington, D.C., LaVilla quickly became a national hub for ragtime, jazz, and blues.
In 1900, LaVilla natives James Weldon Johnson and John Rosamond Johnson wrote and composed “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” now celebrated as the Black National Anthem. Just a decade later, in 1910, LaVilla made history again as the site of the world’s first recorded public performance of blues singing.
The neighborhood also played an important role in the Great Migration, sending African Americans and their culture north and west. By the 1930s, LaVilla was part of the legendary Chitlin' Circuit, a network of venues that provided safe stages for Black musicians and entertainers during segregation. Clubs like the Two Spot and Lenape Bar were must-visit stops for performers traveling the circuit.
Today, LaVilla remains an influential symbol in Jacksonville’s story and is experiencing a period of revitalization. Its streets hold generations of history, creativity, and resilience. When visiting, be sure to explore these three main destinations that celebrate the neighborhood’s enduring legacy.
The museum, located on the second floor of the Mission, preserves her extraordinary legacy through historic photos, artifacts, and stories that bring her life to vivid detail. With ties to figures like Booker T. Washington, A. Philip Randolph, Ray Charles, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Eartha M.M. White Historical Museum is more than a collection of history - it’s a testament to the power of purpose and perseverance.
LaVilla’s story is one of rhythm, resilience, and renewal. From the music that shaped a nation to the leaders who paved the way for progress, this neighborhood continues to influence Jacksonville’s cultural identity today. Beyond these three landmarks, LaVilla offers more to explore like murals, historic buildings, and new developments that honor its past while looking toward the future.