A Clay County nonprofit is working to preserve the county's African American history by recording firsthand accounts, collecting historical materials and documenting stories that might otherwise be lost.

The African American Historical Society of Clay County (AAHSCC) has spent more than a year organizing its efforts to preserve local Black heritage, Clay Today reported Wednesday, Oct. 7.

The organization was incorporated in Florida in August 2025, according to state corporate records.

"Time is of the essence," society President Janice Tucker told Clay Today.

The group plans to record oral histories, trace family lineages and develop a digital archive of the county's African American heritage. Tucker said researchers often must piece together historical records to recover stories that have received little formal recognition.

Vice President Larry Richardson emphasized the importance of allowing African Americans to document their own experiences rather than relying on incomplete historical accounts.

The leadership team also includes Ken Francis, Debra Austin, Doris Jordan, Cheryl Gonzalez, Barbara Alridge and Pamela Monk.

Society highlights overlooked local figures

Among the people the organization is researching is Orange Park native Bernard Fennell, whom the society identifies as one of the first African Americans to serve in the diplomatic corps overseas.

The group has also highlighted Maude Jackson, 84, a retired educator who taught and served as principal at the original Middleburg Colored School during segregation.

Another figure is Augusta Savage, the internationally recognized sculptor and educator born in Green Cove Springs in 1892.

Savage became an influential artist during the Harlem Renaissance and, in 1934, became the first African American member of the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors, according to the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Her work included Gamin, a sculpture depicting her young nephew, and The Harp, a monumental sculpture created for the 1939 New York World's Fair.

Other individuals being documented include opera singer Cynthia Hayman-Coleman, who grew up in Penney Farms, and Richardson's ancestor Samuel Patterson, who served on the Green Cove Springs City Council from 1887 to 1891.

Partnerships support preservation efforts

The society has established relationships with other Clay County historical organizations to share information and expand its research. It also received a donation from the Middleburg Museum, according to Clay Today.

Tucker said the nonprofit plans to pursue grants to support its preservation work and continue developing its digital archive.

Residents with family histories, photographs, documents or other materials related to Clay County's African American heritage can contact the organization through its website, aahsccfl.org.