DeLand Not every chapter of DeLand's story was written on Woodland Boulevard. Spring Hill, the city's historic African American neighborhood, has its own deep roots and its own institutions — chief among them the African American Museum of the Arts, founded in 1994 by Irene and Maxwell Johnson. Located at 325 South Clara Avenue, the museum sits squarely in the center of the community it serves.
The AAMA is the only museum in the area devoted primarily to African American and Caribbean cultures and art. Its permanent collection holds more than 150 artifacts, including sculptures and masks gathered from countries across Africa, offering visitors a window onto a heritage that is often left out of small-town Southern histories. From a modest leased space, it has grown into a cultural anchor.
The museum's reach extends well beyond its walls. Working alongside partners such as Stetson University, the West Volusia Historical Society, Great Union First Baptist Church, and Spring Hill residents and business owners, the AAMA helps sponsor the DeLand Black Heritage Trail — a guide to the landmarks and stories of the Black community. In doing so it ensures that the Athens of Florida remembers all of its citizens, not only its founders.