DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — After nearly six years of locked doors, legal battles, and community outcry, a piece of Delray Beach history is finally coming back to life.
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In a unanimous vote on May 6, the Delray Beach City Commission agreed to return ownership of the historic American Legion Post 188 to the veterans who once called it home. The decision marks a major milestone for residents of The Set, one of the city's oldest historically Black neighborhoods.
Once a hub for service, celebrations, and civic pride, the hall has sat dormant since 2019, when the city took control of the property—halting all restoration progress and locking out members.
"This hall has always been more than a building," said Charles Blake, commander of Post 188. "Back in 1979, when I got married, I had my reception here."
Built in 1947 during segregation, the post was created by and for Black veterans who were barred from joining white-only American Legion halls. Over the decades, it became a cornerstone of community life in Delray Beach, hosting weddings, anniversaries and civic events.
"I remember celebrating my grand-parents' 50th anniversary here," recalled Andrea Bruton, first vice commander of Post 188.
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Now, with the property deed being returned, restoration efforts are finally moving forward. The Shared Future Foundation is partnering with Post 188 to help guide funding and development.
"It's hard to raise money for a place you don't own," said Sara Selznick, president of the Shared Future Foundation. "This has been kind of de-vested in, there have been efforts to tear structures down that were once thriving community spaces. We're working to support infrastructure of the west Atlantic redevelopment coalition, which is a 100% community-led entity and part of those efforts, along with other projects around affordable housing, education is building back what was once here physically."
With ownership returned, donations to help restore the building are being matched up to $50,000 over the next 60 days. Restoration could begin as early as this fall after the approval of permits.
It's all part of a larger effort to preserve The Set as a place where families can afford to live, thrive, and celebrate their history for generations to come.
"Once I'm gone, we want a place for our new generation to come in," Blake said.
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More of WPTV's coverage of the issues leading up to this milestone:
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