Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park preserves a rare stretch of undeveloped coastline in Dania Beach, just south of Port Everglades. The park combines beaches, coastal vegetation, waterways and recreational facilities within one of Broward County’s most historically significant public spaces.
The park is named for civil rights leaders Dr. Von D. Mizell and Eula Johnson, whose efforts helped challenge segregation in Broward County. For years, Black residents had limited access to public beaches, and the site that became the park was established in 1953 as the county’s designated beach for African Americans. Mizell and Johnson later helped organize “wade-in” protests at segregated beaches in Fort Lauderdale, contributing to the desegregation of Broward County beaches in 1962.
Access to the original beach was extremely limited. For a time, visitors could reach it only by boat, and basic facilities such as restrooms and shelters were absent. A public access road was eventually completed in 1965, helping transform the site into a more accessible recreational area.
The park was later known as John U. Lloyd Beach State Park, honoring the longtime Broward County attorney who helped secure the land for public use. In 2016, it was renamed Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park to recognize the civil rights history associated with the site and the leadership of Mizell and Johnson.
Recreation and Natural Features
Today, the park supports a broad range of coastal recreation. Visitors can swim, fish, paddle, boat, picnic and explore the shoreline while remaining only minutes from the heavily developed communities of eastern Broward County.
Whiskey Creek is one of the park’s most distinctive natural features. The sheltered waterway runs through mangrove habitat and provides opportunities for kayaking and canoeing while also serving as habitat for manatees and other coastal wildlife.
The park includes two boat ramps, picnic areas, grills, covered pavilions and an education center. Canoes and kayaks are available for rent, allowing visitors to explore Whiskey Creek and nearby waterways without bringing their own equipment.
Offshore, the Dania Beach Erojacks reef provides another recreational draw and is regularly visited by scuba divers. Together, the beach, mangroves, waterways and offshore habitat make the park an unusually diverse coastal destination.
Despite its proximity to Port Everglades and the surrounding metropolitan area, Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park remains one of Broward County’s most important preserved coastal landscapes, combining recreation, ecological value and a history closely tied to the region’s civil rights movement.