Fort Mose: The Nation’s First Community of Freed Slaves
![Fort Mose 6](https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/meta-images/Fort-Mose-6-v1647019086.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=e647f7b90d92afdf8b9fbb6e426f112d 320w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/meta-images/Fort-Mose-6-v1647019086.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=74f8c3fc0c8aa9a37f8c7bf4d7dd8627 540w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/meta-images/Fort-Mose-6-v1647019086.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=999856eeb9a827271adb83beee200f7e 750w)
Early Slaves’ Flight to Freedom Ended Near St. Augustine
Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose, or Fort Mose, is the site of the first legally sanctioned community of freed slaves in what is now the United States. Located on the eastern edge of the marsh, just two miles north of St. Augustine, Florida, Fort Mose was a perfect line of defense for the Spaniards. Most of Fort Mose’s community consisted of escaped, captured, or runaway slaves from the British colonies of South Carolina and Georgia. They ran from captivity in hope of a better life in St. Augustine.
The taste of freedom quenched the desire of many men and women. Their bravery was evident, their pursuit was endless. Their uneasy journey through thick woods, wetlands, and the fear of being captured kept them going. Many perished, yet those who made it were free. In 1738 more than 100 men, women, and children reached Fort Mose, allowing the Spanish government to establish "Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose."
The Florida Park Service and the Fort Mose Historical Society, a citizen-supported organization, are working to spread the story of Fort Mose and its free residents. The land was acquired and improved access and expanded facilities for the public to experience the fort site while protecting the archeological remains and the environment. To learn more about Fort Mose and St. Augustine's historical past, click here.
Photos courtesy of the Florida Museum of Natural History
Journey: 450 Years of the African American Experience in St. Augustine
![Exterior of the Lincolnville Museum in St. Augustine Fl including sculpture of open book that reads "I have a dream, MLK"](https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Lincolnville-Museum-exterior-1920x1080-v1646842725.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=320&q=80&w=320&s=1667e9b8dcbc820b335baf8aa9e69d99 320w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Lincolnville-Museum-exterior-1920x1080-v1646842725.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=540&q=80&w=540&s=1b8974e497282478f594cdb1e7fe35cd 540w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Lincolnville-Museum-exterior-1920x1080-v1646842725.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=768&q=80&w=768&s=08abbeec588a07e922c7cf49bed65bff 768w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Lincolnville-Museum-exterior-1920x1080-v1646842725.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1024&q=80&w=1024&s=7dabbeb830d616250d2fa0011b52a9ed 1024w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Lincolnville-Museum-exterior-1920x1080-v1646842725.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1200&q=80&w=1200&s=6693f3d60375b8696362c5664ffd8f8e 1080w)
Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center
Explore the rich history of the black experience through the many exhibits housed in the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center
![Foot Soldiers Monument, part of Black History in America's Oldest City.](https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Foot-Soldiers-Monument-9120x1080-v1626372495.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=320&q=80&w=320&s=0ef2f20127529c6681d9d5355d1f5d92 320w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Foot-Soldiers-Monument-9120x1080-v1626372495.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=540&q=80&w=540&s=e230768027348af184969a609ef54a22 540w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Foot-Soldiers-Monument-9120x1080-v1626372495.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=768&q=80&w=768&s=314e063272cabfd22f7dfd5cf304df21 768w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Foot-Soldiers-Monument-9120x1080-v1626372495.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1024&q=80&w=1024&s=884b9a2f0a714a57dbd3873afa384d9a 1024w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Foot-Soldiers-Monument-9120x1080-v1626372495.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1200&q=80&w=1200&s=b78113bf4b02c02eeb4dc763a5bb63c7 1080w)
Black History Month in St. Augustine
Today, black history is everywhere in St. Augustine – from the downtown Plaza de la Constitucion and the streets of…
![Butler Beach public domain State Archives of Florida 1](https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Butler-Beach-public-domain-State-Archives-of-Florida-1-v1556740270.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=320&q=80&w=320&s=dfeb23223cb8548a1bc8292589814b7c 320w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Butler-Beach-public-domain-State-Archives-of-Florida-1-v1556740270.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=540&q=80&w=540&s=f0cc853ac1d0098367e1d2d8056d9d0d 500w)
African-American History by the Sea on Florida’s Historic Coast
Historic Butler Beach offers a glimpse at African-American history and American race relations.
![Flight to Freedom Fort Mose 2 G Leveille crop](https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Flight-to-Freedom-Fort-Mose-2-GLeveille-crop-v1592842509.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=320&q=80&w=320&s=4a0311616dd1e50ad43a71024d6bee71 320w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Flight-to-Freedom-Fort-Mose-2-GLeveille-crop-v1592842509.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=540&q=80&w=540&s=d345ead8c9b2927fe2953734b5c670d1 540w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Flight-to-Freedom-Fort-Mose-2-GLeveille-crop-v1592842509.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=768&q=80&w=768&s=3125a22ededfc66172eb129233765592 768w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Flight-to-Freedom-Fort-Mose-2-GLeveille-crop-v1592842509.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1024&q=80&w=1024&s=1c94f07448bb3ad2134bc2e9957a71ea 1024w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Flight-to-Freedom-Fort-Mose-2-GLeveille-crop-v1592842509.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1200&q=80&w=1200&s=04905e141b8c247cd938bd849108cef5 1200w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Flight-to-Freedom-Fort-Mose-2-GLeveille-crop-v1592842509.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1440&q=80&w=1440&s=6e41d8265e961e7e9254d0a4f59d64a2 1440w)
A Walk in African American Shoes
While the Nation’s Oldest City is best known for its Spanish heritage and history, African Americans have played a significant…
![Foot Soldiers Monument, part of Black History in America's Oldest City.](https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Foot-Soldiers-Monument-9120x1080-v1626372495.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=320&q=80&w=320&s=0ef2f20127529c6681d9d5355d1f5d92 320w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Foot-Soldiers-Monument-9120x1080-v1626372495.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=540&q=80&w=540&s=e230768027348af184969a609ef54a22 540w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Foot-Soldiers-Monument-9120x1080-v1626372495.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=768&q=80&w=768&s=314e063272cabfd22f7dfd5cf304df21 768w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Foot-Soldiers-Monument-9120x1080-v1626372495.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1024&q=80&w=1024&s=884b9a2f0a714a57dbd3873afa384d9a 1024w, https://fl-historic-coast.imgix.net/images/Foot-Soldiers-Monument-9120x1080-v1626372495.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1200&q=80&w=1200&s=b78113bf4b02c02eeb4dc763a5bb63c7 1080w)
Black History in St. Augustine
Enjoy our Multi-Cultural Heritage
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Fort Mose Historic State Park15 Fort Mose Trail
St. Augustine, Florida 32084