Zora Neale Hurston, African-American literature author, filmmaker, and anthropologist is celebrated annually at the ZORA! Festival. As Hurston grew up in Eatonville, she included the community as the setting for many of her stories in the early 20th century. Here are some key events from CAH to attend – students, faculty and staff can attend for free!
Zora Neale Hurston’s ‘Native Village’: Historic Eatonville Remembered Exhibit
This exhibit is currently hosted on the first-floor gallery wall in the John C. Hitt Library. The exhibit explores Hurston’s anthropological research into the people, history, and culture of Eatonville. It features photographs related to Hurston’s investigation of folklore and song in Eatonville, an outline of Eatonville’s history, covers from Hurston’s books, and recently discovered historical sources related to the community. The exhibit will run from Tuesday, January 7 to Friday, February 28.
Afrofuturism Conference
Afrofuturism is a philosophy of history that explores the diaspora that offers radically different frameworks for understanding how society is formed and how it can operate. This two-day Afrofuturism Conference will be presenting distinguished scholars working in the field today utilizing the lens of the humanities. Literary Elder Ishmael Reed will deliver the Zora Neale Hurston Arts and Humanities Lecture. This conference will be held at UCF Downtown’s Communications and Media Building on January 30th and 31st.
Outdoor Festival of the Arts in Historic Eatonville
This festival is key for a fun-filled day featuring interactive educational experiences. The main festival takes place in Eatonville’s community park, where you can enjoy cultural arts and heritage booths, or shop for related merchandise. The Zora! STEM activity hub will be available each day to provide students a way to engage in STEM project-based learning activities that will allow them to explore crosscutting concepts based on the Next Generation Science Standards. Admission for students and children is free, and this festival will be held on February 1st and 2nd.