BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Conservation Fund (TCF) purchased the home when it was about to be placed on the open market, putting it at risk of demolition or development. TCF will transfer the property to the Zora Neale Hurston Florida Education Foundation (ZNHFEF), who will turn it into a visitor and education center.
The Zora Neale Hurston Florida Education Foundation will establish a visitor and education center on the property.
FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA – More than 60 years after acclaimed author Zora Neale Hurston resided in a modest home on a quiet street in Fort Pierce, Florida, that property has been protected. But more help is needed to ensure it permanently honors Hurston’s legacy. The Conservation Fund (TCF) purchased the home when it was about to be placed on the open market, putting it at risk of demolition or development. TCF will transfer the property to the Zora Neale Hurston Florida Education Foundation (ZNHFEF), which will turn it into a visitor and education center. The home is in the Historic Lincoln Park community, a formerly segregated African American section of town. Hurston is the only person to ever live in the building, and her grave site is a few blocks away. “It’s an honor to be a part of protecting the final place where Zora Neale Hurston resided,” said Lauren Day, Florida Director for The Conservation Fund. “Despite its designation as a National Historic Landmark in 1991, this home was at risk of being forgotten, developed, or falling further into disrepair – something that threatens hundreds of African American sites around the country. We are thrilled to help ensure Zora’s important legacy alongside our partners.”…