JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville’s LaVilla neighborhood was once its own city, where African Americans flourished and prospered.
The LaVilla neighborhood was his foundation, where he learned to play football and eventually earned a scholarship to attend college.
LaVilla, at one point in the ’20s, had 600 Black-owned businesses,” historian Carol Alexander said.
“I think the plan disappeared or somebody squashed the plan because we should be here by now, but we are constantly restarting and restarting and restarting,” Alexander said.
“But I think now is the time that it will change, I do feel now is the time of change.”Jacksonville's LaVilla neighborhood was once its own city that boasted 600 Black-owned businesses.