The second floor of this ordinary-looking, three-story mission is a museum devoted to the life and work of an astute businesswoman, who was also a teacher, opera singer, and social reformer. She amassed more than a million dollars in her lifetime, yet used it to fund her humanitarian work. Eartha M. M. White crossed the color lines during the Jim Crow era to build not only the first black mission in the state of Florida but also the first black heritage museum. Both still thrive. She developed employment training programs, a senior citizen center, a childcare center for working mothers, and more. Her friends ranged from the internationally powerful to the homeless.
Parking at the Clara White Mission and Museum
Park across the street from the mission in the volunteer and staff lot. Observe the shell of a building next door. It is the site of the former Wynn Hotel, where Louis Armstrong liked to stay when he played Jacksonville.
Admission to the Clara White Mission and Museum
The museum is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday by appointment. Admission price is under $5. Tours are free, but reservations are encouraged. Groups of ten or more must reserve in advance (904-354-4162).
Must see/do at the Clara White Mission and Museum
Don't skip the guest bedroom, where some of history's who's who stayed, among them Eleanor Roosevelt, Cab Calloway, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Stetson Kennedy. Take time to look at the ornate Tiffany light fixture that hangs over the dining table across the hall. Notice the layout and size of the living room. It sometimes doubled as a church with music provided by the impressive, heavy organ given to Eartha White by a member of Duke Ellington's band.
Other places to visit near the Clara White Mission and Museum
A few blocks northeast is the Ritz Theatre and Museum, which has memorabilia devoted to the area once known as the "Harlem of the South." Nearby Hemming Park, the scene of Ax Handle Saturday during the Civil Rights era, has two fountains and an Imagination Playground. The Florida Theatre is several blocks away. Dating back to 1927, it is one of the remaining examples of the elaborate theatres built in Florida during that time.
Insider tip for visitors to the Clara White Mission and Museum
Look for the picture of the baseball team Eartha White started during World War II with military personnel. If the third floor is open, examine the doors and ornate hinges that are original to this century-old building.
Author's bio: Freelance writer Barbara Merchant roams Jacksonville and St. Augustine with the experienced eye of a native and the open eagerness of a tourist.