The Kingsley Heritage Celebration is an annual event held at Kingsley Plantation each February. “This event is a celebration of the perseverance of the human spirit and the cultural legacy that came from a dark time in the past,” explained Superintendent Chris Hughes. “The goal of the event is to present this history in meaningful ways to our community.” ![]() Photo courtesy Emanuel Kingsley ![]() MaVynne Betsch was also a descendant of Anna and Zephaniah Kingsley and lived in northeast Florida at American Beach, the only beach historically available to African Americans. For MaVynne: "The Kingsley Heritage Celebration in October has a special significance for me, because I’m a descendant! My grandfather A.L. Lewis founded American Beach, and married his first wife Mary Sammis in October, the same month of the annual event. She, of course, was the great-granddaughter of Zephaniah and Anna Kingsley. I give black heritage tours of American Beach and students from all over are fascinated with the history of African Americans in Florida. Kingsley Plantation, Jacksonville, and American Beach form a golden triangle for black history for northeast Florida, and Kingsley Plantation is the gem of that triangle."
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Last updated: January 19, 2023