JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Mayor Donna Deegan joined city officials and advocates Friday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the LaVilla Lift Ev’ry Voice & Sing Heritage walking trail.
Following the unveiling, there will be an optional walking tour inviting visitors to explore the 22 connected historic sites across the LaVilla neighborhood.
According to its website, established in 1866, LaVilla became a nationally recognized center of Black and Gullah-Geechee culture, music, business and civil rights and was home to a diverse community that included Cuban, Syrian, Greek, Jewish, Chinese and other immigrant families.
The trail shares stories of artists, leaders, institutions and everyday people who helped shape Jacksonville and the nation. Inspired by the birthplace of the song “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” the website said the trail celebrates LaVilla’s resilience, creativity and enduring legacy while inviting visitors to experience its rich history and ongoing revival.
Among Deegan, expected speakers are:
- Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman
- Ina Mezini, Downtown Investment Authority
- Adrian Swanigan, LaVilla Preservation/LaVilla Committee
- Ennis Davis, Community Planning Collaborative/LaVilla Committee