James R. McDaniel, one of Plant City’s prominent voices in the community, recently received an accolade for his efforts in maintaining the very building where he was honored – the Bing Rooming House Museum.
On Saturday, Feb. 12, the Improvement League of Plant City awarded McDaniel with a plaque, recognizing him as one of the visionaries in preserving what is now a historical landmark.
Janie Wheeler Bing – for whom the building is named, was its owner.
Built in 1928, it operated as a resting place for African Americans who visited Plant City.
It was eventually passed down to Bing’s grandson, James “Jimmy” Washington. He strived to keep the building intact and deeded the property to the Improvement League, in 1999.
The non-profit organization sought out to remodel the museum seeing how it was in bad condition.
“Many people don’t know, the impact that Mr. McDaniel has done silently in the community and that’s why we’re honoring him,” said Liesta Sykes, vice president of the Improvement League.
He worked for the city as the head of the Community Development Block Grant Program.
McDaniel made an appeal before the Plant City City Commission for funds to refurbish the future museum, which was eventually approved.
Then, he and other members of the Improvement League went to Tallahassee to seek financial assistance on the state level. After several attempts, they were allocated funds to continue their rebuilding efforts.
The foundation of the building was not sturdy and was rebuilt with concrete.
He also taught Sykes among others about the aspects of receiving and maintaining monetary provisions.
“He helped me write the first grant, I wasn’t a grant writer,” Sykes said. “All the audits the Improvement League had, we never failed an audit. We never had any paperwork out of place and that was a result of him.”
She also noted that McDaniel “is a stickler for keeping stuff in order.”
McDaniel is a Florida native, having been born in St. Petersburg and raised in Plant City.
He graduated from Marshall High School as an honors student and received an academic scholarship, helping to propel him to the collegiate level.
He attended the University of South Florida, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in speech communication and English as well as a master’s degree in communication.
He worked for the City of Plant City as the community service director. This involved striving to preserve, rehabilitate, redevelop, and improve neighborhoods.
He also handled real estate acquisition deposition, housing assistance, and assisted public service activism.
In the aftermath of a hurricane disaster in 2004, many new homes were seriously damaged, but the Bing Rooming House had withstood the storm. McDaniel felt it was a sign from God that the building should be preserved, so he and Williams started to renovate the building.
“If it had not been for him, the building would have been torn down,” he said about Williams.
It was a part of McDaniel’s experiences that led him to write his memoir: “Living a Virtuous Life.”
“Many years ago, it was on my bucket list to write a book,” he said. “I had no idea what I was going to write.”
He recalls attending the same church as Bing and would visit the former hotel a few blocks away from where he lived.
After spending some of his adult years away from his hometown, he decided to return to care for his grandmother.
“Years later I came back to Plant City because when I left, I said ‘I wouldn’t be caught dead in this place.’ God directed me back here because my grandmother had raised me,” McDaniel said.
He and Williams would eventually turn the building into the museum that it is now.
Walker has since passed, but McDaniel continues to see the Bing Rooming House Museum flourish under the Improvement League.
His plaque now hangs on the wall of the museum which states: James R. McDaniel – a community servant for his dedication and perseverance in finding federal and state funding for the restoration of the Bing House Museum. His guidance [is] invaluable.