By Lesley Keays
Herald Correspondent
There are many pivotal moments in Sanford’s long and layered history.
February 9, 2026, within Black History Month, is now counted among those key moments.
Woven through time, a colorful quilt symbolizes the resilience and perseverance of Historic Goldsboro, acknowledging past indignities, defining current awareness, and reviving the hope and pride that is Historic Goldsboro.
The Historic Goldsboro Commemorative Quilt was unveiled by the City of Sanford to honor the legacy of the historic Black community of Goldsboro. Painstakingly and enthusiastically created by local crafters, the artwork serves as a bold reminder of Goldsboro’s struggles, but also, its shining victories kept hidden.
Historic Goldsboro was founded in 1891 by visionary William Clark. It was the second all-Black township incorporated in Florida, and one of the first self-governing Black enclaves in the United States.
For two decades, the municipality functioned independently with its own prosperous businesses, effective government, community organizations, and places of worship, until a forced annex by the City of Sanford occurred in 1911. The act was not a redistricting; it was near-erasure of the true identity of Historic Goldsboro and its generations of residents. Swiftly, it shuttered an entire community full of promise.
Today, displayed in the first-floor lobby of Sanford City Hall, the Historic Goldsboro Commemorative Quilt pays homage to its original community. Deliberate in its execution, it is designed to educate future generations and strengthen inclusion that only comes with understanding.
The day of the unveiling was officially proclaimed "Historic Town of Goldsboro Day" by the City of Sanford, which included a formal apology by Mayor Art Woodruff for the 1911 annexation. Woodruff’s great-grandfather D.L. Thrasher, Sanford’s Mayor in 1911, was instrumental in Goldsboro’s razing. These facts Woodruff did not know until the project began last summer.
Woodruff stated, “Today is about recognizing what was done, how it affected a community, and how it affects all of us through our shared history.”
The project was coordinated through the City of Sanford’s Race, Equality, Equity, and Inclusion (REEI) Advisory Committee.
For further information, access
https://sanfordfl.gov/events/historic-goldsboro-commemorative-quilt-project-unveiling
