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@1887first

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A media network rooted in Eatonville, FL
Sharing the culture, businesses, stories, and legacy of America’s first incorporated Black town.

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Dr. Umar Ifatunde @drumarjohnson X #1887First 🤫😮‍💨

Doc is a real one we gotta appreciate his intellect ✊🏾

#Freebrendandepa

#1887First #BlackTown #Eatonville #CentralFlorida #BlackAmerica #SelfReliance #CommunityDevelopment #TheStreetsIsTalking #JointheMovement #Masterplanning #blackexcellence #Trenchwork #BlackLove #EatonvilleFL #zoranealehurston #orlandonews #powernomics #blackityblack #FirstSaturday #1887nights #1887nightmarket #DrUmarJohnson #DrUmar taken in Bunnell, Florida by @1887first

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2 years ago

November 7th, we’re expecting to be back outside.

After canceling October because of the weather, we’re looking forward to bringing the 1887 Night Market back with local food, fresh produce, music, and businesses from across Central Florida.

If you believe in supporting local businesses, come spend with them.

📅 Saturday, November 7
⏰ 4–9 PM
📍 307 E. Kennedy Blvd., Eatonville

Bring somebody with you.

#1887NightMarket #Eatonville #SupportLocalBusiness #ShopLocal taken in 1887 Night Market by @1887first

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6 days ago

The Toure’s at BCU homecoming 2k26.

Photo Cred: @itsscrappy 💯💯💯 taken in Bethune-Cookman University by @1887first

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23 days ago

They didn’t just take control of the land they took control of the story.

For years, the public has been told that Robert Hungerford founded the school and that the Hungerford family donated 300 acres for Black education.

Neither statement tells the full truth.

Hungerford was founded by Mary and Russell Calhoun, two Black educators trained at Tuskegee.

And the land did not come from one family.

The deeds identify approximately 338 acres connected to the institution: the Hungerfords contributed multiple tracts; Black landowners Samuel M. and Mattie M. Moseley conveyed 80 acres for $1; Black lawyer John T. Shufton conveyed 40 acres for $125; the Cleavelands conveyed 40 acres for $5; and the Woffords conveyed approximately 58 acres for $3,500.

Yet only approximately 300 acres were transferred to the School Board in 1951—and only 117 acres remain today.

This is why The Ville CDC is conducting an independent historical, educational, economic and environmental impact study. We are tracing the deeds, the missing acreage, the court decisions, the removal of restrictions and the impact these decisions have had on Eatonville.

We are on our journey to our first 500 monthly donors through The Ville CDC Donor Circle.

Your monthly donation supports this study and our community programming in Eatonville. Donor Circle members will receive exclude updates & intel on our findings, programs and measurable community impact.

History is not just about remembering the past. History is protection.

Join for as low as $0.63 a day or whatever you can commit monthly.

Link in bio to join our Donor Circle. Help us uncover the complete story and protect Eatonville’s future. taken in Eatonville Historic District by @1887first

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2 months ago

We’re expanding 1887 First into a stronger community media platform covering Eatonville news, press releases, public accountability, the Hungerford battle, economics, development, history, and the issues shaping our future.

Our goal is simple: follow the record, provide context, ask the hard questions, and tell the truth as clearly as we can.

Our second Op-Ed is now live:

“Before You Call Eatonville Incapable, Show Us Your Record.”

This follows our first Founders Day Op-Ed and continues a larger conversation about Hungerford, institutional accountability, land, education, and Eatonville’s right to determine its own future.

Read it here:
https://1887first.com/news/before-you-call-eatonville-incapable

Link in bio.

And we are not stopping at commentary.

We are raising support for an independent economic, environmental, and education study to document what happened, measure the long-term impact on Eatonville, and put real evidence behind questions this community has carried for generations.

If nobody else is going to commission that accounting, we will.

Read. Share. Support the study.

#1887First #Eatonville #Hungerford #EatonvilleFlorida #BlackHistory taken in Eatonville, Florida by @1887first

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2 months ago

The 1887 Night Market was never meant to be just another event. It was intentionally built for Eatonville’s growth and future.

Our purpose was to create pathways for Black businesses, bring people into Historic Eatonville, create jobs, circulate dollars locally, and show what happens when culture, community, and commerce move together.

After two years, the impact is becoming clear. These are conservative estimates based on our data and surveys:

📍 19 markets hosted in Eatonville
🖤 200+ Black businesses participated
🎨 500+ children participated in arts and agriculture activities
📲 3M+ social media views
👥 15K+ estimated visitors brought to Eatonville
💵 $21K+ paid to local service-based businesses
🏛️ $4.1K paid to the Town of Eatonville
💼 10 people employed
📈 850+ vendor applications received

We’ve watched a produce vendor grow from part-time to full-time and another vendor expand into a brick-and-mortar location.

Thank you to every business, service provider, sponsor, DJ, volunteer, paid worker, and community member who has helped build this from the beginning. Being independent has not always been easy, but the impact is undeniable. Together, we have created a recognized platform for hundreds of local business owners.

And we’re only getting started.

Join us for BEYOND THE MARKET: The Economic Impact of the 1887 Night Market—a strategic conversation about business opportunity, community spending, ownership, and building an economic ecosystem that lasts.

📅 August 21
⏰ 6 PM
💻 Virtual

Comment “MARKET” below and we’ll send you the registration link.

The market is the gathering place. The bigger work is what we build from here.

#1887NightMarket #1887First #BeyondTheMarket #Eatonville taken in 1887 Night Market by @1887first

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2 months ago

A little late, but well worth the wait! 🎉

Congratulations to @bae_bubs.4 our 1887 Night Market Father’s Day Giveaway Winner! We were finally able to capture this special moment during Sunday Dinner.

A huge thank you to the incredible vendors who came together to create this Father’s Day package:

🎨 Painting by African Artist Collective
✨ Bracelets by @_mrochellejewels_
👛 Wallet by @harmonioustriumph
🌿 Fragrances by @bodyoilfragrancesbycj
👕 Merch by @1887First
🕯️ Candle by @queenuniverse

Small businesses supporting one another while giving back to the people who support us. S/O to all the father’s that were in attendance.

Text “Night Market” to 888-339-1887 to join our community. taken in 1887 Night Market by @1887first

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3 months ago

Sunday Dinner is on! 🍽️

Join us today from 11 AM – 5 PM at 1887 Night Market in Historic Eatonville.

Come grab some great food, support local businesses, enjoy the community, and catch The DJ Willie C Radio Show LIVE.

📍307 E. Kennedy Blvd., Eatonville, FL

See you this afternoon! #1887NightMarket #SundayDinner #Eatonville taken in 1887 Night Market by @1887first

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3 months ago

It’s 1887 First Weekend, and The Ville got somethin’ to say 🧡💛💚

This weekend, we’re celebrating culture, community, and freedom in the First Black Town in America.

📍 Eatonville, Florida

🛍️ Saturday | July 4 | 4 PM – 9 PM
1887 Night Market

🍽️ Sunday | July 5 | 11 AM – 5 PM
Sunday Dinner

307 E. Kennedy Blvd
Eatonville, Florida

🚶🏾‍♂️ Black History Walking Tour come experience the stories, landmarks, and legacy that make Eatonville one of the most historic communities in America.

Thank you to our Event Sponsors
- @townofeatonvillecra
- Duke Energy

#1887FirstWeekend #1887NightMarket #SundayDinner taken in 1887 Night Market by @1887first

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3 months ago

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4 months ago

This is where it all began.

Before the festivals, before the headlines, before Eatonville became known around the world as the hometown of Zora Neale Hurston, there was a bold vision.

A vision created by formerly enslaved men and women who believed they could govern themselves, own their future, and build a community rooted in freedom.

Join us for The Founding of Freedom Town, an immersive walking experience through the most historic sites in Eatonville, the very places where America’s first self-governing Black municipality was founded and built.

Hear the stories.
Walk the landmarks.
Experience the foundation of Eatonville.

📍 Historic Eatonville, Florida
📅 July 4 & 5, 2026

🎧 Silent Listening Experience
📖 Guided Historical Storytelling
🏛️ Historic Landmarks & Cultural Sites

A story of people who chose freedom and built something that still stands today.

🎟️ Reserve Your Experience:
- Comment “Ticket” to receive the link in your DM
- Visit ExperienceTheVille.com/Tour
- Link in our Bio taken in Eatonville, Florida by @1887first

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4 months ago

🔥 Vendor Spotlight: Leroy Filmore Jr. | Blue Flame Restaurant 🔥

As we prepare for 1887 First Weekend on July 4th & 5th, we’re proud to highlight one of Eatonville’s own.

Leroy Filmore Jr., owner of Blue Flame Restaurant, is a native Eatonvillian carrying on a family legacy of service, culture, and community.

His father, Leroy Filmore Sr., served as a Town Council Member and educator at Hungerford. His mother, Dr. Amy Filmore, was a founding member of Preserve Eatonville Community (PEC) and played a key role in bringing the Zora Festival to Eatonville. Through her leadership, she helped preserve the stories, culture, and history that continue to make Eatonville special today.

Now, Leroy Jr. is creating his own legacy through Blue Flame Restaurant, serving great food and representing his hometown with pride.

Join us during 1887 First Weekend and support a business rooted in the history and spirit of the first self-governed Black town in America.

📍 July 4-5, 2026
📍 20 People Street
📍 Historic Eatonville, Florida

Come hungry. Leave inspired.

#1887FirstWeekend #1887NightMarket #BlueFlameRestaurant #HistoricEatonville #ZoraFestival taken in Eatonville, Florida by @1887first

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4 months ago