Founded in 1565 by the Spanish, St. Augustine is known as “the nation’s oldest city”. That means the city has more than 450 years of history, and if you’ve ever been there, you know if feels as if you are walking through an outdoor museum. From the fort, to the old buildings to the cobblestone roads you feel transported back in time. What you may not think of is the city’s role in more recent U.S. history.
Much of that history can be found at the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center. If you’re not familiar with Lincolnville, it’s a neighborhood not far from the town square that was settled by freedmen in the wake of the Civil War. It’s home to a lot of the history of civil rights activism that took place in the sixties. Additionally, it tells the story of the 450 years of Black history in the area all the way back to free and enslaved men and women of the Spanish colonial period. The museum even has the the fingerprint card of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from his arrest on June 11, 1964 in St. Augustine and charged with unlawful assembly and disobedience. It was the only time Dr. King was arrested in Florida.
The museum is located inside the old Excelsior High School and outside the building, throughout the neighborhood you will find the streets lined with oak trees. They’ve been there since the Reconstruction Era (after the Civil War) and is a reminder to all who live there of the Black leaders that came before them and planted those trees.
For more on how St. Augustine played a role in the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, watch this video below:
For more on the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center visit their website