Eatonville, Florida is generally considered the first African American township in the United States. It is the birthplace and childhood home of writer, anthropologist, and folklorist Zora Neale Hurston. For these reasons, the annual Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities is held in Eatonville. Sponsored by the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community, Inc. (P.E.C.), there are two primary goals of the festival: to perpetuate the memory and lasting recognition of Zora Neale Hurston and her work and to preserve the Eatonville community. The Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities attracts guests and speakers from across the country. Past speakers include Maya Angelou, Spike Lee, and Wesley Snipes. Zora Neale Hurston left a lasting mark on African American communities and culture throughout the United States. The festival, and the documents that it has produced, are a way of recognizing her past achievements as well as reminding future generations of her importance. This is being done through community and educational outreach programs that include seminars and curriculum for both students and teachers in the Orange County School District, historic preservation workshops, and various publications by the P.E.C.
From the guide to the Collected Materials on the Zora Neale Hurston Festival, 1990-2006, (Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, )
