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Kingsley Plantation 10/17/09

Oct 20, 2009

Fall trip to Kingsley Plantation

A group of 23 teachers from various Elementary, Middle and High Schools (e.g. R.L. Brown ES, Cedar Hills ES, Highlands MS, James W. Johnson MS, Terry Parker HS, First Coast HS, Darnell-Cookman MS, Northwestern MS, Paxon MS) from around the district attended the re-opening of the Kingsley Plantation main house on October 17, 2009.  At this event, they were exposed by the park rangers to the history of the plantation where Zephaniah Kingsley moved in 1814.  He brought his wife, Anna Jai Kingsley, who was from Senegal, West Africa (originally purchased by Zephaniah as a slave in Cuba) and three children.  A fourth child was later born at Kingsley Plantation.  Kingsley’s wife actively participated in the plantation management, acquiring her own land and slaves when freed by Kingsley in 1811.  The lives of the slaves were detailed by the park rangers through the very detailed restorations of the slaves’ homes.  The Ft. George plantation produced sea cotton, indigo, citrus, sugar cane and corn with an enslaved work force of about 60.  Kingsley eventually left Florida in 1837, moving to Haiti, due to the more restrictive policies regarding race and slavery which US laws brought after Florida’s purchase from Spain in 1821.   Anna Jai eventually returned to Ft. George Island after the death of Zephaniah in 1843, eventually winning ownership of the Kingsley Plantation in US court from the relatives of Zephaniah Kingsley.

The teachers were fascinated by the history of the plantation and its preservation.   They were given a tour by the park rangers and were inspired to bring their students back in order for them to learn about Kingsley Plantation.  Two of the DCPS teachers who attended were interviewed by First Coast News as they espoused on the history of Kingsley Plantation and its value to students today.

Phil Little