Community members involved with the Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition, whose work centers on preserving, celebrating, and sharing African American history and culture in Sarasota. Image retrieved from https://thesaacc.org/
In Newtown, one of Sarasota’s oldest Black communities, a cultural anchor is taking shape with the goal of preserving history while creating space for it to live in the present. The Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition (SAACC) has transformed the historic Leonard Reid House into a center for Black art, culture, and history, offering a place for learning, storytelling, and community gathering in a city where that kind of dedicated space did not previously exist.
The work of SAACC grew out of years of documentation and preservation tied to the Newtown Alive project, which began as a city-funded effort to record the history of Sarasota’s Black community. What started with research reports and oral history interviews expanded into historic markers, digital archives, and guided tours. Over time, the scope of the work revealed a deeper need.
“At some point, it became clear that a physical structure was needed to hold this history,” said Vickie Oldham, president and CEO of SAACC. “That is where I am right now. We opened a Black art, culture, and history center in a historic house built by a Black man, and we are operating there while we raise the funds to build a new facility.”
Today, the Leonard Reid House serves as an active community space. Through exhibits, public programs, and gatherings, it offers opportunities to engage directly with Black history. The 100-year-old Craftsman bungalow, built by Leonard Reid and once home to his family, now hosts author talks, performances, spoken word events, and cultural programming.
“We did not have a freestanding facility where African American history was amplified and elevated,” Oldham said. “Now we do.”
SAACC is also moving forward with plans to expand beyond the historic house. The organization holds a long-term lease on the current site and has secured adjacent property, positioning the coalition to build a new 10,000-square-foot arts, culture, and history center on the same campus. A feasibility study has been completed, and preparations are underway for a capital campaign to support the next phase of development.
Alongside the expansion, SAACC continues to broaden its programming. In 2026, the Leonard Reid House marks its centennial, with a yearlong series of events planned, including author talks, a children’s book fair, and educational programs tied to the home’s history.
The coalition’s preservation work remains connected to Newtown Alive, which continues to offer trolley and house tours highlighting Sarasota’s Black history. During peak tourist season, visitors, agencies, and local organizations book tours to better understand the community’s roots and contributions.
As SAACC builds toward a larger cultural center, the work at the Reid House reflects a broader shift in Sarasota’s cultural landscape, one that moves Black history from the margins into visible, permanent space.
Share Your News with Us
To share news with the Power Broker, reach out to reachout@powerbrokermagazine.com. To sign up for our twice-weekly e-newsletter, visit www.powerbrokermagazine.com; and to join our online conversation, subscribe to our YouTube channel at Power Broker Media Group – YouTube.
More Photos
The Leonard Reid House, a 1926 Craftsman bungalow built by Leonard Reid, now serves as a cultural hub for Black art, history, and community programming in Sarasota’s Newtown neighborhood. Image retrieved via sarasotamagazine.com
Vickie Oldham, president and CEO of the Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition, which is working to expand Black arts, culture, and history programming in Sarasota.Image taken by SRQ Headshots, retrieved via sarasotamagazine.com
Interiors envisioned for the Reid House by Ringling College of Art and Design students. retrieved via sarasotamagazine.com
