Engage in Your Community: Eatonville
For many, Eatonville represents a thread in the broader fabric that makes up Central Florida. When it was founded in 1887, two years after the end of the Civil War, the town offered Black Americans new opportunities in education and home ownership. For many in the greater Orlando community, Eatonville is home. That’s what took us to the historic town’s library on Saturday to talk about the past, present, and future from the perspective of those who live there today. One of the ties that helps bind the community together is the value of family. Many Eatonville residents are the product of many generations who have lived and thrived in the community and still do. Eddis Dexter is a longtime resident and the matriarch of her family since moving to Eatonville more than 80 years ago. N.Y. Nathiri is the Executive Director at the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community. They both joined Engage to share their stories about what makes Eatonville a special place.
