It shows demonstrations by blacks on the beach in st. This famous photograph by horace cort shows a group of white and black integrationists in the former monson motor lodge swimming pool on june 18, 1964. Augustine faced their own racial issues with organized a protests of segregation by the naacp and picketing at the visitor information center. Roughly 75% white and 25% black, it is still a thoroughly segregated community in 1963. Augustine civil rights demonstrations date of film. Saint augustine is a small town of 15,000 on floridas atlantic coast, just south of jacksonville and not far from the georgia border.
Pool players and civil rights activists picket outside the commodore hotel in new york city to protest the exclusion of african american player cisero murphy from that years championship tournament, sponsored by the billiard room proprietors association of america. Protesters demonstrating in the swimming pool of the monson motor lodge in st. Augustine movement took place as part of the wider civil rights movement in st. In 1964, several white and black protesters jumped into a pool at the monson motor lodge in st.
These disturbing photos will make you glad history is history. Valley news forgotten chapter of the civil rights era. That was the only word rabbi israel dresner used to describe st. Augustine pool picture on june 18, 1964, martin luther king jr. In an attempt to intimidate the protesters and force them out, the owner of the hotel, james brock, poured hydrochloric acid into the water, shouting, im. The site was before that occupied by the monson house, a 19thcentury boarding house. Augustine, counter demonstrations by whites, speeches made by dr. Jta for rabbi richard levy, it was an emotional return to this historic northeastern florida city.
Black people demonstrate against segregation by plunging into a swimming pool of a hotel in st augustine, florida, and are arrested. Augustine came to a climax on june 18, 1964, when activists jumped into the whitesonly swimming pool at the monson motor lodge in response to dr. Augustine prepared to celebrate its 400th anniversary. Marys missionary baptist church washington street and st.
Kings arrest the week prior when he attempted to enter the motels restaurant. Augustine, most people picture the castillo, the quaint little city and the history of what is called the first city of florida. Augustine, june 19, 1964 the violence came to a fevered pitch in june 1964, when a group of black and white protestors jumped in the segregated pool at the monson motor lodge as a protest against the whitesonly swimming policy. The drawing in the book that really stands out to me is the one that depicts the slaughter of french troops by the spanish in the dunes south of st. African american demonstrators attempting to swim in the atlantic ocean, on a white beach are confronted by stick wielding opposition, in st. Jun 09, 2015 protesters demonstrating in the swimming pool of the monson motor lodge in st. In the summer of 1964, martin luther king, andrew young, ralph albernathy and other prominent civil rights leaders led peaceful protest marches through st. Apr 25, 2011 this page is dedicated to exploring the connection between the civil rights movement and st. The site was before that occupied by the monson house, a 19thcentury boarding house the monson house. For example, whites threw nails at the bottom of pools in cincinnati, poured bleach and acid in pools with black bathers in st.
On june 11, 1964, martin luther king, jr was arrested for. Motel manager pouring acid in the water when black people. Augustine in 1565 the matanzas inlet gained its name from this event matanzas is the spanish word. The dentist and others refused to stop demonstrating until the bill was passed, as horrific acts like the pool. Augustine in the 1960s, he was looking to keep the momentum alive for passage of the civil rights act. He and other southern christian leadership conference members were looking for a community with an active civil rights movement, said david colburn, a university of florida. Augustine played key role in civil rights imdiversity. In an attempt to force them out, the owner of the hotel poured acid. Peabody behind bars and to report on race relations in the city.
The city was a key location in the civilrights movement. Augustine civil rights demonstrations local call numbe. The organization led a highprofile protest of the segregated celebration of the. The monson motor lodge, at 32 avenida menendez, saint augustine, florida, was in 1964 the site of a landmark protest event of. Augustine, florida was so powerful that it changed the. On this day in florida history june 26, 1964 governor. By pouring acid into a pool of activists in 1964, this.
The riots erupted against a backdrop of racial tensions across the south coming to a boil. Anticonfederate monument protesters march in historic st. They were told the restaurant wasnt integrated and were asked to leave multiple times before brock called the police and had the group arrested for trespassing. Augustine at the height of the civil rights movement in 1964. It was a major event in the citys long history and had a role in the passage of the civil rights act of 1964. The white motel manager, james brock, dumped muriatic acid, a cleaning agent, into. The next day, movement leaders, the rabbis and about 50 supporters marched downtown to the monson motor lodge for a twopronged demonstration. See more ideas about florida, old florida and saints. They will be performing at the peabody auditorium, saturday, april 4. Augustine even played a role in the passage of the civil rights act of 1964. Augustine in 1964 when it became a focal point in the civil rights movement. These disturbing photos will make you glad history is. Augustine prepared to celebrate its 400th anniversary, martin luther king jr.
The original monson hotel was established by captain anthony vincent bossy monson and his wife florence young in. The forgotten history of segregated swimming pools and. Jul 11, 2019 for example, whites threw nails at the bottom of pools in cincinnati, poured bleach and acid in pools with black bathers in st. Augustine in 1565 the matanzas inlet gained its name from this event matanzas is the spanish word for slaughters. Augustine was the only place in florida where king was arrested. Sclc sent staff to help organize and lead demonstrations and mobilized support for st. Augustine, most people picture the castillo, the quaint little city and the history of. Civil rights protestors had been staging demonstrations in st. Southern christian leadership conference wikipedia.
By the mid 1950s, protests against southern segregation grew, coming to a head in st. Words like cursed and plundered and destroyed have come to apply not to what. Today is the 45th anniversary of martin luther king jr. Augustine four, who were joeann anderson ulmer, samuel white, audrey nell edwards, and willie carl singleton, started a sitin protest at a woolworths lunch counter in st. In may, the reverend martin luther king arrived in st.
Photographs of this action, and of a police officer jumping into the pool to arrest the young activists, were broadcast around the world and. Florida wadeins to end racial segregation of public beach. Aug 01, 2018 in 1964, several white and black protesters jumped into a pool at the monson motor lodge in st. A fresh look at a key civil rights battle and its new england. James brock, the manager of the motel, was photographed pouring muriatic acid into the pool to get the protesters out. May 29, 2019 among these are the italian gothic style st. Augustine movement was a part of the wider civil rights movement in st. The dentist and others refused to stop demonstrating until the bill was passed, as. In this clip, black demonstrators are attacked on butler beach and groups of blacks and whites occupy the streets at night. This page is dedicated to exploring the connection between the civil rights movement and st.
Aug is also notorious for some recent history a civil rights protest in 1964, when a local hotel owner poured muriatic acid into his whites only swimming pool after several black men jumped in during martin luther kings swimin protest. Technology family projects business global events books fiction newsletters. Later that night, 500 white people attacked demonstrators in st. Augustine historical society, designed to lure tourists to the nations oldest city, have a curious pertinence this winter. In the spring of 1964, hayling put out a call to northern college students to. Augustine jail to his old friend, rabbi israel dresner, in new jersey, urging him to recruit rabbis to come to st. In 1964, the civil rights act was passed largely as a result of the civil rights movement and the many campaigns it.
Whites used to put nails at the bottom of pools in cincinnati and pour bleach and acid in pools with black bathers in st. Rolling stone calls 1964 the tribute the best beatle tribute on earth. Martin luther king, the civil right movement, and st. Collecting pieces of the civil rights movement in st. Augustine over the previous year demanding an end to segregation laws there. Oct 07, 2018 after being turned away from the ballot box, lincolnville residents turned inward.
A policeman jumped into the pool to make arrests and photographs of the melee were published around the globe. He and other southern christian leadership conference members were looking for a community with an active. Mass protest and racial violence martin luther king, jr. Augustine house where king was staying was torched. Vivian, and hospitalized 19 people, many of whom were in severe condition.
Motel manager pouring acid in the water when black people swam. In response, a swimin was held at the hotel pool in protest. After being turned away from the ballot box, lincolnville residents turned inward. Augustine is a primarily tourist economy and stood to suffer massive losses in the face of a sustained protest movement. Home iconic photos world war 1 world war 2 by topic books. The fbi and martin luther king, jr and protest at selma.
Jun, 2014 on june 18, 1964, black and white protesters jumped into the whitesonly pool at the monson motor lodge in st. As a result, leaders of both sides of the issue decided to make st. Together with the other protests and demonstrations in the summer of 1964 known as the st. Browse historical events, famous birthdays and notable deaths from jun 26, 1964 or search by date, day or keyword. Augustine, florida were met with arrests and ku klux klan violence, the local sclc affiliate appealed to king for assistance in the spring of 1964. The civil rights act of 1964 was signed into law, banning. Augustine, florida, and beat them up in philadelphia. Heres the disturbing history of segregated swimming pools.
Augustine historic bayfront monson motor lodge donald martin, a professor of art at flagler college since 1980, is a multimedia artist with completed public art projects located throughout florida, including at the bacardi corporation, flagler college, and jacksonville international airport. A successful twohour long wadein by 35 people drew attention and garnered some black and white support. By 1920, lincolnville was filled with homeowners, local businesses, schools, and 16 churches. Feb 06, 2018 note racist voiceover throughout the item. On june 24th, however, white beachgoers did not allow waders to reach the water by physically blockading the shore. In my book, i describe how in the late 1940s there were major swimming pool riots in st. When civil rights activists protesting segregation in st. Augustine book in the 1960s, in anticipation of the aforementioned 400th celebration. Augustines most important source of income, and in 1964 the citys white powerstructure is busy preparing lavish festivities to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the towns founding in 1565. Valley news forgotten chapter of the civil rights era took. On june 18, 1964, black and white protesters jumped into the whitesonly pool at the monson motor lodge in st. The monson motor lodge, at 32 avenida menendez, saint augustine, florida, was in 1964 the site of a landmark protest event of the civil rights movement. Augustine was born of the sea, cursed by the sea, caressed and plundered, made, destroyed, and reborn on the bosom of great waters. This and other things helped spur on a group of protesters, black and white, to jump into the pool as a.
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