About the Project

The Eatonville History Preservation Project is a collaboration between the Orange County Library System’s Eatonville Branch and eSTEAMED Learning, Inc., merging the arts of quilting and storytelling to preserve the history and culture of Eatonville through personal stories of pride and resilience from those with generational ties to the historic town. View highlights of the Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025.

Project Coordinators

Sara Brown manages the activities, programs, and staff of the Orange County Library System’s Eatonville Branch.

Candace Finley, Ed.D is the Founder and Executive Director of eSTEAMed Learning, Inc., a nonprofit that provides STEAM project-based learning opportunities in under-served communities to increase their representation in the industry.

The Quilter

Lisa G. Moore is a visual storyteller who speaks through fabric, transforming ordinary material into extraordinary narratives of resilience and identity. Quilting is a medium that allows Lisa to preserve and celebrate the unsung stories of generations past.

Celebration June 7, 2025

On Saturday, June 7, a reception and the Quilt Unveiling Ceremony was held at the Eatonville Branch to reveal the completed quilt, honor the Eatonville residents who shared their stories, and the artistry of quilt maker Lisa G. Moore.

The quilt will be displayed permanently at the Eatonville Branch so library customers can learn about Eatonville from the people who call the historical town home. Project participants, special guest Representative Anna V. Eskamani, PhD, and over 70 others attended the event.

The Eatonville History Preservation Project 2025 features photos of Eatonville residents with corresponding videos sharing their personal stories of pride and resilience as it relates to living in the historic town.

Artist Lisa G. Moore designed and created the quilt using fabric collected from Eatonville residents. The quilt will serve as the background for photos of Eatonville residents. The photos, labeled with the names of each of the residents and a QR code that links to the participant’s OrlandoMemory.org post, are attached to a clothesline to symbolize the historical connection and solidarity of Eatonville.

Melrose Center Gallery

Eatonville History Preservation Project Melrose Center Gallery Opening took place at the Orlando Public Library on July 10, 2025. Photographs of the participants created by Melrose Center photographers Pedro Raphael Berrios and Zakaria White are featured. Each portrait includes a QR code linking the visitor to the oral history interviews below.

Oral History Interviews

The Eatonville Library manager, staff including Outreach Social Worker, Yvette Shelton-Edmonds and Branch Outreach Specialist, Sherronda Thomas, along with Community Partner Dr. Candace Finley recruited Eatonville residents to participate in the project. Participants had to have generational ties to the Town of Eatonville and currently reside in the Town.

Enjoy the memories and stories of each of the participants by clicking on the links below.

Sara Brown – About the Project

Lisa G. Moore – Quilt Concept

Valerie Chambers

Eddie Cole

Ruthi Critton

Rodney Daniels, Sr.

Eddis Dexter

Wanda Dix

Leslie Dorsey

Bruce Mount, Jr.

N.Y. Nathiri – Executive Director, Association to Preserve Eatonville Community, Inc.

Angela Rentz

Cordelia Rentz

Kaleb Rentz

Judie Stokes

Dominique Taylor

Emmett Thompkins

Nehemiah Wagner

Gloria Ware

Theo Washington

Tiletha Wells

Vanessa Williams

Zora! Fest 2026

On January 29, 2026, the Orange County Library System Eatonville Branch conducted a powerful conversation celebrating the Eatonville History Preservation Project — a community-wide collaboration that weaves together oral history, art, and heritage.

Panelists included:
Sara Brown, Manager of the Eatonville Library
Ruthi Critton, Lifelong Eatonville resident and descendant of Joe Clark, co-founder and former Mayor of Eatonville
Dr. Candace Finley, Educator, Community Advocate and Founder/Director of eSTEAMED Learning, Inc.
Lisa G. Moore, Fabric Artist & Quilter

This engaging discussion brought together the voices behind the project — community leaders, artists, and storytellers — as they shared insights on the creative process, the importance of preserving local history, and the enduring legacy of America’s oldest incorporated Black municipality.

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2026 Golden Image Awards PR & Comms Excellence

The Orange County Library System and the Melrose Center were presented the 2026 Golden Image Award of Distinction and Judges’ Creativity Award for Institutional Video in recognition of the Eatonville History Preservation Project.

The awards attest to the efforts of all involved in the preservation of the history of the Town of Eatonville and Eatonville’s people.

Eatonville Library manager Sara Brown and The Melrose Center video production instructor Gabriel Soltren accepted the awards at the FPRA Golden Image Awards Ceremony on August 11, 2026.

The awards recognized the Eatonville History Preservation Project for its research, planning, creativity, effective implementation, and evaluation. The Florida Public Relations Association presented the honors as part of its annual awards program. 

Staff from the Eatonville Branch, Marketing and Public Relations, Melrose Center, Adult Services, and OPL Customer Service contributed to the project with planning, video production, portrait photography, formatting for the website, and interview transcriptions all archived at OrlandoMemory.com.   

Peruse additional images below.