Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center

Lincolnville, Saint Augustine, Florida
January 28th, 2021

The Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center is an African American history museum located in the former Excelsior School Building, This building once served as the first public black high school in Saint Johns County in 1925. Their mission is to "preserve, promote and perpetuate over 450 years of the African American story through the arts, educational programs, lectures, live performances, and exhibits". More information about the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center can be found here.

102 M. L. King Avenue Saint Augustine, Fl 32084

Exterior I:

Excelsior High School Building

Exterior II:

Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center entrance

Artifact I:

Recreation of The Palace Market

The Palace Market was a grocery store opened in 1914, owned and operated by Frank Butler and his family. It was known for its quality and affordable goods. In 1924, Butler opened College Park Realty where he was known as a generous landlord and salesman. Eventually, Butler buys a tract of land on the coast and opened Butler Beach for African-American beachgoers and business owners. Frank Butler is remembered for his leadership and kindness. More information on Frank Butler can be found here.

Artifact II:

Isaac Barrett, Equal Justice Initiative(EJI)

Isaac Barrett was a tenant farmer, who was lynched after questioning his employer about money owed to him. He was abducted by a mob of twelve white men from police custody and hanged in the Orangedale area. The soil collected comes from the lynching site and serves as a reminder of the horrific event. EJI's Community Soil Collection Project works to gather soil from lynching sites to remember the victims and create awareness of past and present racial violence. For more information on EJI's initiative, please click here.

In Conversation:

Seneca Village, New York City

Archaeological Findings at Seneca Site

Source:www.centralparknyc.org

Much like Lincolnville, Seneca Village, in what is now a portion of Central Park in New York City, was a thriving black community. Many residents owned their land and property. The village existed between 1825 and 1857 until the City used eminent domain to acquire the land and build Central Park. Much of the residents who owned property were compensated inadequately by undervaluing the land. There are no photographs of the settlement but recent excavations have uncovered residential artifacts typical of the time. More information can be found here.

Even though it is crucial to be aware of the violence and horror black Americans have suffered, it is also important to recognize the success of thriving families and communities. Lincolnville and Seneca Village should be remembered as examples of resilience under harsh circumstances. 

ENG 202 connection:

"To try to understand. To touch solid evidence that those people existed..."

Kindred, (264), Octavia E. Butler

This quote is reminiscent of the fact that there is not much of a collective memory of Seneca Village. The archaeological findings provide the solid evidence Dana and many other people look for to understand the past. 

Creative Component:

This collection of photographs include those that did not fit in the previous posts but also highlights the more joyful parts of St. Augustine's black history. These include Ray Charles' instruments, the Emancipation Day Parade, and three children enjoying their day. 

ACCORD Freedom Trail

Saint Augustine, Florida
January 21st, 2021

The Anniversary to Commemorate the Civil Rights Demonstrations (ACCORD) Freedom Trail, was established to remember and recognize the heroes involved in St. Augustine's civil rights movement and the eventual passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The trail contains thirty-one markers designating the sites of important events, buildings, or former housing for the movement's leaders. The ACCORD Civil Rights Museum serves as the starting point in the Freedom Trail while the location for all markers and more information can be found here.

Sites:

79 Bridge Street

The current Civil Rights Museum was once where dentist and civil rights leader, Dr. Robert B. Hayling held his practice. Multiple planning sessions were held here along with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other community leaders. This site also serves as the Freedom Trail's first marker. 

156 M.L. King Avenue

Mrs. Janie Price's house, where Dr. King stayed during his civil rights campaign. Most notably the house where he slept before being arrested at the Monson Motor Lodge along with Reverend Ralph Abernathy. Mrs. Price received threats for housing Dr. King. 

94 South Street

The White family used to live in this house. James and Hattie Lee White demonstrated and were arrested during the Saint Augustine civil rights movement. Samuel, their son, was also arrested for participating at the Woolworth's sit-ins of 1963. Twin sisters, Janice and Jeanette fought to integrate a local church. Brothers, Christopher and Walter Eugene fought to desegregate Saint Augustine's public schools, and James participated in the wade-ins in the summer of 1964. More information about the White family can be found here.

160 M.L. King Avenue

This site once housed Judge L.L. Fabisinski, who fought to keep segregation alive in Florida schools, but also Dr. Hayling, leader of the civil rights movement in Saint Augustine. The site is often called "The Civil Rights House" because of the irony of housing the two drastic ideals. 

In Conversation:

Civil Rights Leaders

Source: Frank Murray, Medium

Left to right, Ambassador Andrew Young, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and Dr. Robert B. Hayling met in St. Augustine and fought for the Civil Rights of the town. Through this picture, we learn that it took the outside support of Dr. King and Andrew Young's resources for the movement to take off in St. Augustine. After many attacks from residents and the fear of the black community, efforts had been sparse and met with deathly violence. 

FBI Report on KKK attack of Dr. Hayling

Source: Civil Rights Library

On September 18, 1963, Dr. Hayling attended a Ku Klux Klan meeting while being hidden from the crowd. Towards the end, he was discovered and attacked. He sustained major injuries. The attackers were released on the same day. 

ENG 202 Connections:

"You, uh...don't have any relatives or anything who'll give you a hard time about me, do you?...we had never talked much about our families, about how his would react to me and mine to him..."

-Kindred, (109), Octavia E. Butler

Dana, a black woman, realizes that Kevin's marriage proposal as a white man surprises her because they had not talked about how their families would react to their relationship as a biracial couple in 1976. It is well known that the Klu Klux Klan strongly and violently opposed biracial unions. However, this idea reaches the past in the Antebellum South where part of Kindred takes place. It survives through the Civil Rights Movement, where Dr. Hayling gets attacked by the KKK. It also reaches 1976, where Dana and Kevin live and continues to affect society in current times. 

Creative Component:

The Freedom Trail contains both pleasant and adverse moments. Both should be remembered as they form part of Lincolnville's and St. Augustine's history. The beauty and strength of the community can be seen by the architecture and the figures who once occupied them.