Eatonville
While reading Their Eyes Were Watching God, I became curious about the history of the town of Eatonville. While reading the book, the only places we hear about in Eatonville are the store and Janie’s house. We see Eatonville through Janie’s eyes but she doesn’t spend much time away from her work or home because of how controlling Jody was. What was it like to live in Eatonville during such a racist time? How did residents celebrate their newfound freedom? I wanted to see what it would have been like to live in an all-Black town. Known as a Freedman’s Town, Eatonville was founded in 1887 and was originally part of Maitland. It was America’s first incorporated Black town. A former slave and philanthropist bought land from Josiah Eaton who was also the namesake for the town. Church and School were vital to the history of the town. The town was home to St. Lawrence A.M.E. Church and Hungerford Normal and Industrial School. With post-primary education and vibrant churches, Eatonvil