FEATURE
Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing:
Interpreting Resistance in Jacksonville’s LaVilla Neighborhood
The passenger concourse of the Jacksonville Terminal in 1921. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Jacksonville, Florida’s historic LaVilla neighborhood is a place where the legacies of resilience, culture, and community intersect. LaVilla has been a center for Black life, business, and the arts since the end of the American Civil War. As cultural heritage-focused urban planning professionals, we have been facilitating several projects in LaVilla. Our firm, Community Planning Collaborative (CPC), is based in Jacksonville, and we are honored to assist in efforts to celebrate LaVilla’s significant history. We view our role as facilitators, not experts, and prioritize community voices in developing interpretation. Three current projects aim to interpret the neighborhood’s history through the lens of resistance and hope found in the lyrics of “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” known as the Black National Anthem.
An aerial view of Jacksonville, Florida’s LaVilla neighborhood in 1924. Photo courtesy of National Archives.
“Come to the Place for Which Our People Sighed”
Historically, the land we refer to today as Jacksonville is on the traditional Homelands and territories of the Timucua, Muscogee, Miccosukee, Seminole people. Established as the LaVilla Plantation in 1850, the area became a fortification for the U.S. Colored Infantry during the American Civil War. A Gullah Geechee community and haven for 19th and early 20th century immigrants, LaVilla was founded after the American Civil War in 1866 as its own independent town by Francis F. L’Engle. Numerous U.S. Colored Troops who settled in the town were elected to various municipal government positions. Jacksonville annexed LaVilla in 1887.
Also home to the largest passenger railroad station south of Washington, D.C., LaVilla became the base of a large red-light district called “The Line,” a Black-owned streetcar system called “The Colored Man’s Railroad,” and a setting for Black- and women-owned businesses leading to a cultural and entertainment scene culminating with the first published account of blues singing on a public stage in 1910 by ventriloquist Professor John W. F. Woods and his doll “Henry.” In addition, it became the epicenter of Black professional life in Florida, anchored by Black-owned banks, real estate development firms, and insurance companies.
LaVilla was a bustling center of Black life in Jacksonville into the 1960s. Urban decay set in as the railroad industry declined and the construction of I-95 displaced the east side of the neighborhood, and after the end of segregation, many residents left the area to find opportunities elsewhere. The City of Jacksonville pursued urban renewal projects well into the 1990s. In 1975, nine blocks were replaced by a large U.S.Postal Service distribution center. Three hundred and ninety-four families were relocated in 1990, and the Blodgett Homes public housing complex was demolished. In 1993, the River City Renaissance plan crafted by then Mayor Ed Austin allocated millions of dollars to “revitalizing” LaVilla. Numerous historic buildings were torn down. This late-stage urban renewal program decimated the remaining historic fabric of LaVilla’s east side, adjacent to downtown Jacksonville.
Today, many people refer to LaVilla as the Harlem of the South. However, in reality, one could argue that Harlem is the LaVilla of the North, since the Harlem Renaissance didn’t occur until many key figures from LaVilla’s past—like the creators of “Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing” James Weldon and John Rosamond Johnson, civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph, the Mother of Blues “Ma” Rainey, and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston—made their way north as a part of the nation’s first Great Migration, which emerged in LaVilla in 1916 as an early form of Jim Crow-era resistance. In 1998, Russ Rymer noted that:
Photographed in 1947, LaVilla’s West Ashley Street was a major Chitlin’ Circuit destination and nationally recognized in the Black community for its vibrant segregation era entertainment scene. Photo courtesy of University of North Florida.
A row of two family flats awaiting demolition as a part of the City of Jacksonville’s River City Renaissance urban renewal plan in 1995. Photo courtesy of the City of Jacksonville.
“[t]he city [Jacksonville]...of course, has a history, a prominent one. The history stays invisible because the prominence resides almost exclusively on the black side of town. James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson were born in Jacksonville, A. Philip Randolph was raised there, Mary McLeod Bethune and Zora Neale Hurston worked there, Paul Laurence Dunbar was inducted into the Masons there…and the pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman died there. Every one of them has been commemorated by innumerable biographies or postage stamps, but meaningful local memorials would be hard to find.” (p. 114)
“Sing a Song Full of the Faith That the Dark Past Has Brought Us”
Efforts to rectify that lack of local heritage memorialization in LaVilla have been underway for some time. The Ritz Theatre & Museum was established in 1999 on the site of the 1929 Ritz Theatre movie house in LaVilla, retaining the historic facade. Local historian Lloyd Washington worked for years to realize a park dedicated to the Johnson brothers on their homesite.
Three recent and ongoing projects centered in the neighborhood aim to further interpret this history: the LaVilla Heritage Trail, interpretive signage for Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park, and the Ritz Theater and Museum exhibit redesign. CPC has been formally involved with these projects since 2023. Ennis has been exploring the history of LaVilla for years before that through his public history work at his website the Jaxson Mag. Together we have been advocating for LaVilla’s heritage for some time; in 2018, we co-authored “Saving LaVilla,” an article for local publication J Magazine.
Central to all three interpretive projects is the enduring legacy of “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” known as the Black National Anthem. This song was written and composed by James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson in Jacksonville in 1900. The Johnson brothers are from Jacksonville and their family homesite is in LaVilla.
Interpreting “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” in its historical and modern contexts is itself an act of resistance. The song, which emerged from Jacksonville’s Black community in the midst of the Jim Crow era, has served as a national unifying anthem against oppression for more than a century. By centering this song within LaVilla’s public history, we seek to honor the resilience and excellence of the neighborhood and affirm the role of interpretation in advancing equity and recognition for historically excluded communities.
The Stanton High School marching band in a parade near LaVilla’s Ritz Theatre on North Davis Street. Photo courtesy of Ritz Theatre & Museum.
A community workshop during the planning of the LaVilla: Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Heritage Trail. Photo by Ennis Davis, AICP.
“Sing a Song Full of the Hope That the Present Has Brought Us”
In 2022, Jacksonville’s Downtown Investment Authority created the LaVilla Heritage Trail and Gateway Committee. Committee members were selected based on their knowledge or expertise on the heritage, culture, and history of the LaVilla community. The Committee’s objectives included: the oversight of the Heritage Trail installation, the LaVilla gateway entrances, and the LaVilla logo and branding effort.
This 2022 iteration of the Committee followed on the heels of a prior effort to kickstart the heritage trail that did not include community engagement or a Black presence on the consulting team. The LaVilla community rejected that outcome and the project started anew, demonstrating current resistance efforts in who gets to shape the telling of community and Black heritage.
CPC was hired in 2023 to assist in revisiting the heritage trail plans. Our approach is to center Committee and community voices in developing plans for the trail. The project draws inspiration from successful African American heritage trails nationwide. Community engagement initiatives for this project included walking tours, individual meetings, community open house meetings, and public Committee meetings to finalize the trail’s vision and strategy. The Lift Ev’ry Voice & Sing Heritage Trail Vision and Implementation Strategy was finalized in June 2024.
The objective of the trail is to have physical markers in the neighborhood that spotlight the song’s connection to Jacksonville, the history of the LaVilla community, and its relevance and contribution to Black progress on a local, regional, and national level. Marker text outlines the history of “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” its significance, and its impact on various movements and events, including the Civil Rights Movement. Community engagement identified 22 physical locations that additionally cover various aspects of LaVilla’s history, including its evolution, business, education, entertainment, faith, and more.
The trail’s locations are organized into eight general themes derived from stanzas of “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.” Themes are categorized and include concepts such as: inclusion, prosperity, faith, overcoming past struggles, cultural heritage, entertainment, transportation, and architectural longevity. The trail will provide directional guidance, opportunities for reflection, and increased accessibility for visitors. The project team thoroughly analyzed existing site conditions to make recommendations regarding the location of the 22 markers to ensure accessibility and safety. Marker locations were identified in areas that allow for ADA accessibility, crosswalk availability, proximity to bus stops, nearby lighting, and public right-of-way placement. Locations that required crossing high-traffic/high-speed streets were avoided. Initially identified locations shifted over time based on these factors. Trail themes are realized in the design of the marker concept through point of interest narratives, photographs, and color schemes. The physical marker fabrication is currently out for bid through the City of Jacksonville.
Additional recommendations in the Trail Strategy for a Phase II include further accessibility options through in-person virtual, digital, audio, visual, and print interpretation. Local, state, and national partner collaborations are suggested. Specific digital recommendations include a dedicated Trail website, app, and inclusion of QR codes. The Trail Strategy also includes suggested metrics for gauging Trail success.
Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park was completed in June 2024. Photo by Ennis Davis, AICP.
“Till Now We Stand at Last Where the Bright Gleam of Our Bright Star is Cast”
Overall, the LaVilla: Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Heritage Trail seeks to celebrate the rich history and contributions of the LaVilla community while also promoting contemporary economic growth in the neighborhood and within the local Black community. Economic self-determination has long been a resistance tool in the Black experience.
The composition of the project team prioritized including local Black entrepreneurs. CPC, partially Black-owned itself, partnered with local Black women-owned small businesses: Carla Mechele Media for storytelling and branding, artist Erin Kendrick for design, and Ashanta Williamson & Company for technical assistance. All three businesses have since received other local project opportunities or been part of other CPC project teams.
Heritage tourism as an economic development strategy was top of mind for the team and community. Jacksonville is located within the federally designated Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, and is the largest city within the corridor. In 2020, the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission released an economic analysis report called the Market for Gullah Geechee Heritage Tourism. The report documented the potential leisure spend in the Gullah Geechee cultural heritage corridor at $34 billion annually and that 36% of all U.S. travelers said that “the availability of African American cultural, historic sites and attractions” was important in their choice of leisure destination.
Once a bustling center of Black enterprise, the LaVilla community and project team seek to position the interpretation as opportunities for future Black economic prosperity. It is the hope that the LaVilla: Lift Ev’ry Voice & Sing Heritage Trail will be one component in the economic rebirth of the neighborhood. As an example, one marker interpreting foodways mentions Jenkins Barbeque, a Black-owned legacy business in the neighborhood that opened in 1957. Highlighting an existing business hopefully inspires heritage trail visitors to go enjoy Jenkins’ legendary rib sandwich, further supporting the local economy. Recommendations in the Trail strategy include utilizing Black-owned local businesses for project implementation where possible. LaVilla Preservation, Inc., a community Black-led nonprofit, supports neighborhood economic development through merchandise, tours, small business development, and partnerships with funders to realize community goals.
The Masonic Temple was described as one of the finest buildings in the world owned by the Black community when it was completed in 1916. Photo by Ennis Davis, AICP.
“Facing the Rising Sun of Our New Day Begun, Let Us March On Till Victory is Won”
Lloyd Washington’s dream of a park honoring the Johnson Brothers was realized with the opening of Lift Ev’ry Voice & Sing Park in 2024. This park, on the homesite of the Johnson brothers in LaVilla, was designed by Black landscape architect Walter Hood. Because of CPC’s involvement with the trail, our team was hired to draft and design the interpretive park signage dedicated to the Johnsons. Five signs interpret Southern architecture, the Black National Anthem, James Weldon Johnson, J. Rosamond Johnson, and the Johnson family. The park will serve as an anchor for the Lift Ev’ry Voice & Sing Heritage Trail.
Lastly, our team was also engaged to work on exhibit redesign for the Ritz Theater & Museum. This project has also been a lesson in resistance, similar to the first heritage trail effort. We were engaged later in the process after the efforts had gotten fairly far along in their planning without community engagement. As of this writing, the project is temporarily on hold, largely as a result of community dissatisfaction with the process to date. CPC maintains community connections and relationships beyond project parameters; we seek to connect long-term in support and solidarity. While the project is on hold, we continue dialogue with people to better understand their interests.
CPC is also facilitating efforts around a fourth heritage project in LaVilla, which involves an updated historic resource survey and National Register of Historic Places nomination. This project is in progress, working with the community as well as Plusurbia, another preservation and urban planning firm. This effort will further contribute to future interpretive possibilities for the neighborhood.
Historic interpretation can serve as a powerful tool for amplifying stories of Black resistance, economic self-determination, and cultural pride, as demonstrated by the LaVilla projects. Ongoing acts of resistance and resolve by the community demonstrate leadership in defining the historical narrative. The projects in LaVilla represent opportunities of interpreting and engaging in ongoing resistance in a historically Black neighborhood undergoing redevelopment, ensuring that its legacy remains a living part of Jacksonville’s future.
Resources:
Burke, Adrienne, and Ennis Davis. “Saving LaVilla.” J Magazine, Summer 2018. https://bit.ly/savinglavilla.
Community Planning Collaborative. LaVilla: Lift Ev’ry Voice & Sing Heritage Trail Vision & Implementation Strategy. 2024. https://www.planningcollab.com/portfolio/lift-evry-voice-and-sing-heritage-trail
Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission. Report: Market for Gullah Geechee Heritage Tourism. 2020. https://gullahgeecheecorridor.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2020-Gullah-Geechee-Corridor-Heritage-Tourism-Study.pdf.
Johnson, James Weldon, and John Rosamond Johnson. “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.” 1900. https://naacp.org/find-resources/history-explained/lift-every-voice-and-sing
Rymer, Russ. American Beach: A Saga of Race, Wealth, and Memory. Harper Collins Publishers, 1998.
