Remembering the Force Behind the L.B. Brown House Museum

On Nov. 16, Bartow lost a beloved community leader and champion of Black History when Clifton Lewis passed away at the age of 82.

Clifton “Cliff” Lewis, a central force behind Bartow’s L.B. Brown House Museum and Heritage Festival, spent more than three decades shaping how Polk County engages with its Black history. A Louisiana native, Lewis arrived in Bartow in 1989 after a 28-year telecommunications career in Washington, D.C., where he was the city’s first Black telephone technician, according to the Orange County Regional History Center.

After settling in his wife Vendarae’s hometown, Lewis developed a deep appreciation for the story of Lawrence Bernard Brown, a self-taught carpenter born into slavery who built the 1892 Victorian house that now bears his name. Lewis led the push to restore the long-abandoned home and helped secure its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The site later earned recognition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Lewis also spent more than 20 years directing the L.B. Brown Heritage Festival. What began as a scholarly conference featuring historians like Larry E. Rivers and Frank “Mickey” Schubert evolved under his leadership into a three-day cultural celebration with historical reenactments, entertainment and vendors.

Beyond the museum and festival, Lewis held numerous community leadership roles, championing neighborhood revitalization and local service initiatives. His work remains foundational to Bartow’s ongoing preservation of African American history.