Today, black history is everywhere in St. Augustine – from the downtown Plaza de la Constitucion and the streets of Lincolnville to the beaches of Anastasia Island. And there’s no better time to experience this rich heritage than Black History Month.
Best known for its Spanish and British history, the Nation’s Oldest City was significantly impacted by African American culture as well. From its beginnings during the Spanish Age of Exploration to the American Civil Rights era, African Americans have played key roles in the story of St. Augustine.
Africans were among the first to explore Florida upon its discovery. In the 1500s, they joined Ponce de Leon and Pedro Menendez as soldiers in the service of Spain. African Americans established the first legally sanctioned free black settlement in the U.S. in 1738. Escaped British slaves found freedom in St. Augustine by converting to Catholicism and joining the Spanish in defending their territory. Their home became Fort Mose, where free men and their families formed a militia and the northern defense post for the nation’s oldest city.
The summer of 1964 in St. Augustine was hot – as is every summer. But in this year, for the first time in the long history of the Oldest City, the June weather was not the main topic of conversation. Instead, it was the daily struggle for (and against) civil rights taking place in the city’s ancient streets that captured the attention of residents millions of people worldwide. Starting with local protests against racial segregation, the marches and rallies soon attracted America’s most well-known civil rights leaders and organizers.
Today, black history is everywhere in St. Augustine – from the downtown Plaza de la Constitucion and the streets of Lincolnville to the beaches of Anastasia Island. And there’s no better time to experience this rich heritage than Black History Month. Narrated tours, museums, historic sites, special events, concerts and self-guided walking tours provide opportunities to experience the rich history of the black experience in the Oldest City.
Established by the Spanish in 1738, Fort Mose (moe-SAY), or Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose, was the first legally-sanctioned town for free black people in the United States. Inhabited by former slaves who had gained their freedom by escaping from the northern colonies to Spanish Florida, the fort was also an important part of St. Augustine’s defenses and its adult male residents were part of the local militia. Captured by advancing British forces in 1740, it was re-captured in the dead of night by the free black militiamen who decimated a famous Scottish regiment.
Now a National Historic Landmark, rising sea levels have inundated the actual site of Fort Mose, but a walk along the boardwalk through the salt marsh where the community was located provides a moving and inspirational reminder of the hard-fought freedom achieved by the people who called this place home. The Fort Mose Historical Society, now celebrating its 25th Anniversary, presents numerous reenactments annually to preserve and tell the story of this remarkable historic site.
In February, Fort Mose will host its 4th annual Jazz and Blues Series features Grammy Award winning artists over two weekends. Past performers include Gladys Knight, Mavis Staples, Common, Keb' Mo', Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, and Christone "Kingfish" Ingram.
Located at 15 Fort Mose Trail, St. Augustine, the 40-acre park along with its picnic area, trails and kayak launch ramp are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is open Thursday thru Sunday. Park admission is free; museum admission is $2.
Housed in the former Excelsior High School, the first public black high school in St. Johns County, this museum chronicles more than 450 years of black history in St. Augustine through exhibits, art, educational presentations, lectures and live performances. Currently features the “Women Who Made a Difference Exhibit” dedicated to local women who played an important role in Lincolnville’s history. The Museum and Cultural Center is open Sunday & Monday from 1-4:30 p.m. and Tuesday thru Saturday 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for college students and ages 17 and under.
Located in the former offices of civil rights leader, Dr. Robert Hayling, this museum is dedicated to the unsung local “heroes” and “sheroes” of the 1964 protest movement. The museum features displays, artifacts, articles, a library and showings of documentaries and film clips depicting local civil rights history. Located at 79 Bridge Street, the museum is open by appointment by calling 904-347-1382.
Sponsored in part by the Northrup Grumman Corporation, this self-guided tour takes participants to more than 30 sites that played major roles in the civil rights demonstrations of 1964. These include churches, meeting locations, homes of key local civil rights leaders and places where non-violent protesters were attacked. Each stop on the trail features an historical marker describing the site’s significance. The trail winds through Lincolnville and downtown St. Augustine and extends to stops along the beaches of Anastasia Island. The trail is explained and delineated in a free brochure available at the St. Augustine Visitor Information Center, 10 S. Castillo Drive.
February 2025
Grammy Award-Winning Jazz and Blues Artists Confirmed Over the Two Week Series
Located at the 601 Riberia Street, this 9-acre park pays tribute to Dr. Hayling, the St. Augustine dentist who organized the local civil rights protests in 1964 and brought Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to the city that summer. With its expansive views of the Matanzas and San Sebastian Rivers, the park is a wonderful place to contemplate civil rights in America. Visitors can even let freedom ring at the park’s 14 contrabass, pentatonic aluminum chimes.
The beautiful Hilton Historic Bayfront Hotel at 32 Avenida Menendez not only reflects the elegance of Spanish Colonial architecture, it also commemorates the civil rights struggles of 1964. Located on the site of the former Monson Motor Lodge where Martin Luther King, Jr. was arrested and the swimming pool where acid was poured on civil rights activists, the Hilton has preserved the steps where the arrest took place. There is also a commemorative marker in the hotel’s pool.
In the summer of 1964, some of the most dramatic confrontations between non-violent civil rights activists and ardent segregationists happened on the beaches of Anastasia Island across the bay from St. Augustine. The popular ocean fishing pier in St. Augustine Beach became internationally famous when the media covered efforts by civil rights advocates to wade ashore at the Whites Only beach only to be met by vicious attacks. Just a few miles south at 5480 Atlantic View is the beachside cottage that was made available by its owner for Martin Luther King Jr. during his visit. The cottage was fire-bombed and shot up by segregationists resulting in one of the most ionic photos of the civil rights movement – Dr. King pointing to a bullet hole in its window. A bullet is still lodged in an interior door frame. The pier and cottage are both on ACCORD’s Freedom Trail.
Walk in the actual footsteps of civil rights leader Andrew Young on this pathway across St. Augustine’s Plaza de la Constitucion. On June 9, 1964, Young was beaten to the ground several times by segregationists as he and a large group of civil rights advocates walked across the plaza. Their non-violent response to their beating was a key incident in convincing Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Young later served as a congressman from Georgia, mayor of Atlanta and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
One of the few remaining Black-owned businesses in the Lincolnville Historic District, this market has operated for generations. Built in the 1920’s, a fund raiser for restoration is now underway. Great selection of locally-made items and Southern delicacies. 97 Martin Luther King Avenue. 407-595-5853
"I Lived Here, As Well: Going Home" Tour at Ximenez-Fatio House Museum20 Aviles Street
St. Augsutine, FL 32084
History in the Shadow of the Tower: Discovery of Fort Mose100 Red Cox Dr.
St. Augustine, FL 32080
Flight to Freedom15 Fort Mose Trail
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Castillo by Candlelight: The Mose Story11 S. Castillo Dr.
St. Augustine, FL 32084
