The University of North Florida (UNF) has been awarded nearly $800,000 by the National Park Service (NPS) to enhance efforts in restoring coastlines and combating shoreline erosion at three national parks in Florida and Georgia

Local researchers and volunteers install specially designed domes to restore shoreline along Kingsley Plantation.

Over the last two weekends, a special celebration honored the significance of the Kingsley Plantation’s Black history. The Kingsley Heritage Celebration started 25 years ago.

It’s where Anna Kingsley, an African woman who became a slave, went on to become a slave owner herself. RELATED: Kingsley Plantation: Journey through time offers living lessonAdNow a collaborative effort between local teens, Groundwork Jacksonville and a few other organizations tells the stories of six enslaved people who lived and worked on Kingsley Plantation, including Gullah Jack. And then his story gets real interesting from there,” said Shanell Davis-Bryant, project manager of Groundwork Jacksonville. I think it’s important for us to take a moment and reconnect with our roots and understand that context of our roots. But know that this is a part of our history, a part of our story.”AdThe Green Team from Groundwork Jacksonville said the idea is to make people feel like they were inside the plantation.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As part of Black History Month, News4Jax has shared local stories about the Civil Rights movement, segregation, Black leaders and Black-owned businesses in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. Black history is all of our history, and News4Jax is committed to bringing you stories about our diverse communities beyond February. You might not know the area was once its own city and was a very prosperous area for members of Jacksonville’s African-American community. “A lot goes into teaching Black history. “That Black history is American history.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Kingsley Plantation is the oldest standing plantation in Florida. (Provided by Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve)Walking on Kingsley Plantation is like taking a journey back in time. “We know they’re important because here at Kingsley Plantation the enslaved people buried their dead oriented around one of these trees. We never stop learning.”AdA painful, difficult past wrapped in nature’s beauty, Kingsley Plantation serves as more than just a history lesson. AdIf you want to learn more about the Kingsley Plantation, you can head to the site’s Facebook page or go to http://www.nps.gov/timu.