Articles by Will Brown
Jacksonville lynching victim Benjamin Hart honored with commemorative marker
Samelia Adams spent decades believing her grandfather abandoned her family. The truth is Benjamin Hart was lynched. In Jacksonville. Sunday, Hart’s life was memorialized with a marker in Jacksonville’s Grand Park community. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. Marking the truth In August 1923, a white woman claimed a Black man peered into her window. A group of white men sought to punish someone for the perceived crime. They selected Benjamin Hart from a log-cutting camp.
Who will win Duval’s Hispanic voters? Both parties have tried.
In an election season where Florida’s most high-profile candidates are coveting every vote, Duval County’s Latino residents may play a role in determining November’s victors. The 46,643 registered Hispanic voters in Duval County for this year’s midterms represent 7.11% of the 655,219-person electorate. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. Over the last decade, the number of Hispanic voters in Duval County has increased by 70.2%, compared with 11.4% overall voter growth.
Jacksonville icon Johnnetta Betsch Cole celebrates 90th with A.L. Lewis gala
College presidents, American presidents and philanthropists will celebrate the 90th birthday of Jacksonville native Johnnetta Betsch Cole on Friday night in Downtown Jacksonville. The dinner is a fundraiser for the A.L. Lewis Black Opportunity & Impact Fund.
With chances to make history, Black churches mobilize Northeast Florida voters
Jacksonville-area Black churches, which long have acted as focal points of civic engagement, are rallying their congregants to vote. Black voter turnout has historically been stronger when Black candidates are at the top of the ticket, as they are in this year’s races for Florida governor and U.S. Senate. Jarrett Washington is the pastor of Saint Stephen African Methodist Episcopal Church in Springfield. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
HHS Secretary RFK Jr. touts dietary guidelines with Northeast Florida healthcare leaders
U.S. Health and Human Services Department Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spent Wednesday in Orange Park as part of the department’s push for medical schools across America to provide additional coursework about the benefits of a protein-rich diet. Kennedy is pushing medical schools to include 40 hours of nutritional education in graduation requirements, which he hopes will help health professionals guide patients toward healthier diet choices. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
Cathedral Arts Project will expand arts education through its largest federal grant
The Cathedral Arts Project announced it will use the largest public grant award to expand arts education to children on the First Coast and beyond. Thursday, the nonprofit announced that the $3.95 million in federal, state and philanthropic grants will triple the number of families it’s able to serve. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
Hospital workers’ union files labor grievance against UF Health amid contract talks
Underneath the shade of a green tree and blue skies, nearly two dozen members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union held green and blue signs demanding occupational respect from the UF Health Jacksonville healthcare system on Wednesday. The health system declared negotiations were at an impasse this summer. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. On Sept.
Basketball Hall of Famer Artis Gilmore announces Jacksonville City Council bid
A legend of March hopes to make another run. This time it’s for a position on the Jacksonville City Council. Artis Gilmore filed paperwork Tuesday at the Duval County Supervisor of Elections Office to run for the Jacksonville City Council at-large Group 3 seat. The Basketball Hall of Famer will challenge incumbent Republican, and current Council President, Nick Howland in the March 9, 2027, election. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
Edward Waters announces it will build first on-campus dorms since 1982
Florida’s oldest historically Black university will build its first dormitory in four decades because of financing secured through the Rice Financial Products Co. Edward Waters University announced Thursday that $25 million in financing from the Rice Capital Access Program will fund portions of the $33 million in capital improvements that will be made at the New Town-based campus. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
Andrew Jackson volleyball program found sisterhood through sports
Five girls sat in the middle of a venerable old gymnasium and let the emotion wash over them. They were victorious in their final varsity volleyball match on their home court. For the Andrew Jackson volleyball program, their final home triumph was an exclamation amid a season that asked questions. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. The Tigers beat Ed White 16-25, 9-25, 25-17, 25-18, 15-9 on Oct. 1 in front of their parents, peers, families, friends and a few dozen others.
Duval Schools and Jaguars Foundation celebrate students for Hispanic Heritage Month
A neurosurgeon, philanthropist and educator served as the inspiration for the winning submissions in the Duval County Public Schools Hispanic Heritage Month essay contest. Elementary, middle and high school students were challenged to write about a Hispanic person in Northeast Florida who has made an impact on the region. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. Wonderous words Aoife Lewis won the elementary essay contest for her reflection about San Jose Elementary teacher Aurelio Cruz.
Duval Schools and Jaguars Foundation celebrate students for Hispanic Heritage Month
A neurosurgeon, philanthropist and educator served as the inspiration for the winning submissions in the Duval County Public Schools Hispanic Heritage Month essay contest. Elementary, middle and high school students were challenged to write about a Hispanic person in Northeast Florida who has made an impact on the region. Aoife Lewis won the elementary essay contest for her reflection about San Jose Elementary teacher Aurelio Cruz.
NFL asks Homeland Security to take down video of Jacksonville native Brian Dawkins
Free local news and info, in your inbox at 6 a.m. M-F. Sign up for the Jacksonville Today newsletter. The NFL has asked the Department of Homeland Security to take down a video on social media showing highlights of Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins in reference to a purported caravan of immigrants approaching the U.S. border. Dawkins is a Jacksonville native who graduated from William M.
Publix touts $25M food insecurity donation at Feeding Northeast Florida
Publix announced Tuesday that it will donate $1.1 million to Feeding Northeast Florida, part of $25 million the Lakeland-based grocer will make across eight southern states in its quest to eradicate food insecurity. The money will help the regional food bank speed up its distribution to the rural portions of its 12-county coverage area that spans from the Gulf Coast to the First Coast. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
Nassau school district finds racial slurs unsubstantiated; calls for accountability mount
On Tuesday evening, more than 200 people gathered inside First Missionary Baptist Church in Fernandina Beach to demand more accountability for what they saw as racial harassment of Black athletes last week. Fernandina Beach High School’s win over Jacksonville’s Andrew Jackson last Thursday was overshadowed by students in the Fernandina Beach High bleachers holding a Black doll in the air while yelling in the direction of the Jackson Tigers, according to witnesses and video of the incident.
Pediatric illnesses illuminate hunger challenge Northeast Florida families face
Shanna and John Martell know their children will be fed this fall. Their middle child, Gio, was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma earlier this year. The Martells are Jacksonville residents who are among the thousands of families across the United States whose finances have been upended by a diagnosis. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
How Jacksonville’s unprecedented commitment to girls’ sports sprouts opportunity
A conservative think tank with a track record of dictating American domestic and foreign policy believes Title IX, the landmark legislation that opened avenues for girls and women in sports, is a failed experiment. The Heritage Foundation claims women’s sports programs that were created because of Title IX legislation are a failed social experiment. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
UF Health Jacksonville mobile health unit targets barriers to healthcare
UF Health Jacksonville will roll out its first mobile health clinic this month. The health system expects the unit to provide blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes screenings; primary care visits; wellness visits; and other preventive services. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. Its first stop will be at Wayman Temple AME Church in the Hillcrest neighborhood on the Westside on Sept. 26. Care is not exclusive for UF Health patients.
Dimon Foundation donation expected to elevate Edward Waters endowment
Edward Waters University leaders say a $1 million gift from the James and Judith K. Dimon Foundation will fortify its endowment in the years and decades ahead. Edward Waters President A. Zachary Faison Jr. says the endowment infusion will allow the university in Jacksonville’s New Town community to generate student scholarships, support faculty development and improve campus resources. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
Jacksonville Waves quelled in inaugural Upshot League Championship
Charlotte was crowned the inaugural Upshot League champion with its 81-76 win over the Jacksonville Waves in Saturday night’s Upshot League Championship at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. “It took faith. It took perseverance. It took trust,” Charlotte Crown head Coach Trisha Stafford-Odom said afterward. “And, it took me realizing that God made me great. Even in the losses, I have everything it took to be here in this moment right now.” Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
Jacksonville commemorates Axe Handle Saturday with Civil Rights Trail marker unveiling
An octogenarian in a sharp blue suit stood in the shade of a tree inside the park at the corner of Duval and Hogan streets Thursday morning. He hugged a petite white woman. In 1960, a Black male hugging a white woman in Downtown Jacksonville might have been met with deadly consequence. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. In 2026, it was the fulcrum of the commemoration of Axe Handle Saturday, one of the darkest days in Jacksonville history.
Jacksonville commemorates Ax Handle Saturday with Civil Rights Trail marker unveiling
An octogenarian in a sharp blue suit stood in the shade of a tree inside the park at the corner of Duval and Hogan streets Thursday morning. He hugged a petite white woman. In 1960, a Black male hugging a white woman in Downtown Jacksonville might have been met with deadly consequence. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. In 2026, it was the fulcrum of the commemoration of Ax Handle Saturday, one of the darkest days in Jacksonville history.
Jacksonville commemorates Axe Handle Saturday with Civil Rights Trail marker unveiling
Jacksonville Today User since May 2023 Jacksonville Today produces and distributes audience-engaged journalism that expands civic discourse and fosters a vibrant, inclusive, and knowledgeable community. jaxtoday.org Jacksonville An octogenarian in a sharp blue suit stood in the shade of a tree inside the park at the corner of Duval and Hogan streets Thursday morning. He hugged a petite white woman.
Carr, Gallion, Laguerre remembered on anniversary of racist Dollar General shooting
The anniversary of a racist shooting that shocked and rocked Jacksonville three years ago still stings enough to draw tears from the families of the people murdered by a white supremacist in Jacksonville’s Grand Park neighborhood. They gathered Wednesday evening beside a memorial at Kings Road Memorial Park to commemorate the lives of Angela Carr, Jerrald Gallion and Anolt “A.J.” Laguerre Jr. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. The trio of strangers was slain on Aug.
Local food banks see more need amid federal-assistance restrictions, rising prices
Federal restrictions on food assistance qualifications, alongside rising food and fuel prices, have been a kidney punch to food banks across America. Feeding Northeast Florida, which gave away more than 38.1 million pounds of food from its food banks in 2025, says it’s on pace to surpass that amount this year.
Military kids in city-funded Cathedral Arts Project arts programs saw academic gains
A city-funded pilot program to provide arts education for military service members’ children shows promise as an academic booster, according to a report out this month. The nonprofit Cathedral Arts Project’s Brave HeARTs program, launched in the 2025-26 academic year, was created based on analysis by the Florida Data Science for Social Good program at the University of North Florida. Brave HeARTs launched with a $250,000 grant from the city of Jacksonville. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors.
How Duval Schools literacy compares to Florida’s largest districts
Duval Schools opened its academic year on Monday. The A-rated district has historically lagged behind Florida’s other large urban districts in literacy proficiency. In the 2025-26 academic year, 51% of Duval County third grade students were literacy-proficient. The Florida Department of Education considers a student literacy-proficient if they score at least a Level 3 on the five-tiered test. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
BIT OF JOY | Sporting Jax Women’s club donates to local grocery store
Published on August 4, 2026 at 11:56 am This story first appeared in Jacksonville Today's weekday morning newsletter. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here. The Sporting Jax Women’s soccer club has donated $9,900 to The Corner at Debs ahead of their second season in the Gainbridge Super League. The team says it selected the grocery store on Jacksonville’s Eastside because it provides healthy options at accessible prices.
Q&A | Rep. Byron Donalds takes questions on ‘First Coast Connect’
First Coast Connect host Anne Schindler interviewed U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Naples, on Monday morning. Donalds, a former member of the Florida Legislature and three-term member in the U.S. House of Representatives, is the prohibitive favorite to win the Republican gubernatorial nomination later this month. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. This is a transcript of Donalds’ remarks on First Coast Connect on WJCT News. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Florida Fresh Access Bucks program pauses amid funding shortage
A food assistance program that helps Floridians purchase fruits and vegetables will be paused, due to a funding gap. Fresh Access Bucks is a program that allowed people who used the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to extend their money at select farmers markets and retailers. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. Someone who spends $20 from their SNAP fund balance would have $40 to spend on SNAP-eligible foods.
Back-to-school giveaway grants Jacksonville moms a chance to honor children
Wiley Road Playground turned into a supply depot on a sunny afternoon. The Westside park was a haven for memories of the past — and dreams for the future — during the Silent Women Speaking Back to School supply giveaway on July 25. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. The event brought families who have lost loved ones in touch with families needing school supplies for the upcoming school year.
Funding timeline announced for Eastside community benefits agreement
Free local news and info, in your inbox at 6 a.m. M-F. Sign up for the Jacksonville Today newsletter. The first round of public dollars available to Eastside organizations as part of the city of Jacksonville’s community benefits agreement with the Jacksonville Jaguars will use dollars from the current and upcoming fiscal year. The Eastside Grants Committee hopes organizations will apply before the Aug. 3 deadline. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
Upshot League announces inaugural championship location
The Upshot League announced its inaugural championship will be in Jacksonville at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on Aug. 29. The top two finishers in the regular season of the first-year women’s pro basketball league will advance to the Upshot League Championship. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. “We know that women’s sports fans want an experience, a connection, a real sense of belonging,” Upshot League Commissioner Donna Orender said Wednesday.
Jacksonville back-to-school giveaways
The 2026-27 academic year for Duval County Public Schools starts Aug. 10. Jacksonville churches, nonprofits, health providers, small businesses and others have combined to provide backpacks and other back-to-school supplies ahead of the academic year. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. Please share other giveaways and community events at wbrown@wjct.org or news@wjct.org. Here is a list of events: Saturday, July 25 ASCENSION ST.
Democratic Senate race: Jacksonville progressive Angie Nixon vs. ret. Lt. Col. Alex Vindman
Two Democrats are running in the Aug. 18 primary in hopes of unseating Republican Florida Sen. Ashley Moody, the former state attorney general who Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed last year to take Marco Rubio’s place when he became U.S. secretary of state. At the Florida Democratic Party’s annual summit Saturday in Lake Buena Vista, Senate hopeful Alex Vindman stressed the importance of the “big tent” inclusivity within the Democratic Party to winning in November.
Jacksonville Alphas provide voter information forum ahead of August primary
When Duval County’s electoral turnout fell well below expectations two years ago, it motivated the Upsilon Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. to increase its voter mobilization efforts ahead of the 2026 election season. Tuesday night, the chapter shared information about the impact of congressional redistricting on Duval County; changes the Florida SAVE act will have on casting ballots; how to become an active voter again; and the process for casting a provisional ballot.
Are these truths self-evident at America 250? Some Black Jaxsons say no.
As the U.S. celebrates the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, some Black people across Northeast Florida question whether the country is living up to the ideals the signees evoked 250 years ago. ‘All men are created equal’ Anthropologist Johnnetta Betsch Cole, a Jacksonville native who is president emerita of both Spelman College and Bennett College, has seen plenty over the last 90 years but no period as distinct as this, she says.
Are these truths self-evident at America 250? Some Black Jaxsons say no.
2 hours ago Speaker Mike Johnson is once again battling hardline conservatives for control of his own House floor — and he has no clear way out. A small group of GOP hardliners, led by firebrand Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, took a decisive vote against Johnson on Tuesday, refusing to allow him to move …
Jacksonville leaders identify solutions in early childcare gaps
The last week of June is one of the times on the calendar when childcare access, or the lack of it, is readily apparent. Thursday morning, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan shared the findings of the city’s Child Care Solutions Task Force. The press event was held at a childcare facility at a time when most working parents were on the clock on a date when most children are out of school for the summer. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
How the Christobel sewer project improves community connections
Loretta Barfield and William Batts have been neighbors for nearly 50 years. They individually purchased property in Christobel, a Northwest Jacksonville neighborhood, during the 1970s on the premise and the promise their homes would be connected to the city sewer system. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. It was the personification of faith without public works. “It hits your pocketbook, because every time it rains, you got to spend all that money,” Batts said.
Where to commemorate Juneteenth across Northeast Florida
Juneteenth commemorations will take place across Northeast Florida this weekend. Juneteenth honors the day when formerly enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were told they were “thenceforward, and forever free,” on June 19, 1865. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. It was more than two years after President Abraham had signed the Emancipation Proclamation and nearly a month after the decree was read in Tallahassee to announce freedom to formerly enslaved Floridians.
LaVilla heritage trail unveiled at Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park
LaVilla is a cornerstone for the history and culture of Jacksonville. Those contributions will be celebrated in the LaVilla Lift Ev’ry Voice & Sing Heritage Trail that was unveiled Friday morning. Urban planner Ennis Davis notes there is far more history in LaVilla than the 22 markers that were unveiled. For Davis, whose book Jacksonville’s Gullah Geechee Heritage was published in April, the unveiling was a beginning, not a culmination. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
Jacksonville’s soccer culture grows alongside World Cup return
The 1994 men’s FIFA World Cup begat sustainable professional soccer in the United States. Three decades later, pro soccer has a foothold here and a culture that has helped develop the world’s game throughout the River City. The return of the men’s FIFA World Cup has illuminated the local growth. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
How Jacksonville’s skilled trades pros identify workforce solutions
Josue Salgado’s life changed once he joined the family profession. Salgado traded his career as an emergency medical technician in Connecticut for the financial stability of a career as an operating engineer in Jacksonville. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. “It’s opened so many doors for me and my family, financially,” Salgado says. “As a first responder, it was a great job, but it didn’t pay what this field pays. When you show up a job site, you’re the star of the show.
City Year Jacksonville invests 100k service hours to support Duval students
Investment in schools is not exclusively about money. City Year Jacksonville infuses time and talent in Duval County Public Schools that need additional resources. “This is service: locally focused and deeply human,” City Year Jacksonville Executive Director Dawn Emerick says. “Yes, we are helping students in schools; but, we are also investing in youth.” Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. The City Year program is for young adults between 18 and 25 years old.
City Year Jacksonville invests 100k service hours to support Duval students
Opinion & Analysis 1 hour ago India’s ‘Cockroach’ Army and the Great Exam Betrayal Bloomberg Opinion - By Andy Mukherjee • 1h India’s youth have many reasons to feel wounded. From shrinking returns on college education to the disappearance of good jobs and fading hopes of a middle-class life, they are fighting one battle after another.
PHOTO ESSAY | Englewood High, among Duval’s most diverse, celebrates commencement
Faiza Alnour traveled too far to let tiredness thwart her from achieving her educational dream. Alnour graduated from Englewood High School with a 3.9 GPA on Thursday. She was born in Sudan and spent time in Egypt before moving to the U.S. shortly before high school. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. “It’s exciting because I waited for too long. I worked hard,” Alnour said.
City Council decides not to rule out redlined neighborhoods for next jail
As city officials plan to replace Duval County’s aging Downtown jail, the Jacksonville City Council has declined to support a bill to discourage building the next jail facility in historically redlined neighborhoods. City lawmakers voted 12-5 on Tuesday night against council member Jimmy Peluso’s Resolution 2026-0356, which recommended that any correctional center developed to replace the John E. Goode Pre-Trial Detention Center be kept outside several redlined, predominantly Black neighborhoods.
Former Ponte Vedra Beach players take deft first touch from soccer pitch to medical field
A Ponte Vedra High School soccer coach once lamented Munir Adamo was intelligent enough to do anything he wanted in life. At that time, Adamo was the heartbeat of the irrepressible varsity soccer team at Ponte Vedra High. Adamo and Nick Kostrubsky were part of a surgical attack that scored for fun. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one. Today, Dr. Munir Adamo is set to begin an internal medicine residency at the University of South Florida.
Sporting Jax Women host first Gainbridge Super League semifinal
Sporting Jax Women may have other opportunities to lift trophies, but few clubs forget the euphoria of earning their first. That feeling is what the Sporting Jax Women will chase on Sunday afternoon. Sporting Jax Women will host the Carolina Ascent in the Gainbridge Super League Playoffs at Hodges Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m. Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.
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