Florida Historical Markers Programs - Marker Detail

Description: Florida's modern commuinty college system partially owes it development to a statewide system of 12 all-black junior colleges that developed a parallel to a system of white junior colleges during the era of segeration. These institutions were very important for a generation of black Floridians whose access to higher education was limited because of segeration and economic hurdles. Established in 1959, Suwannee River Junior College (SRJC) provided the black residents of north florida and south Georgia with post-secondary level educational and cultural enrichment opportunities. Like most other black community college insitutions founded in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the college had a short life span, lasting only seven years. The Suwannee River Junior College is the first college of any in Florida to have a female president. Jenyethel Merritt, a fixture in the local educational establishment, served as president of SRJC for five of the college's seven years. The college closed its doors in 1966, merging with formerly all-white North Florida Junior College.