The Road to Freedom Runs Through St. Augustine
Recognizing Juneteenth and the landmark Civil Rights Act at pivotal places in Black history.
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Contact: Barbara Golden
Phone: 904-669-8142
Email: BGolden@FloridasHistoricCoast.com
St. Augustine, Fla. (June 4, 2025)—Juneteenth commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the US. Black history on Florida’s Historic Coast spans centuries, from the country’s original Underground Railroad to historic protests and sit-ins by black activists that paved the way for the Civil Rights Act in the 20th
Century. Visit the spaces and places in St. Augustine that mark pivotal changes in the Black experience in the Nation’s oldest city.
Celebrate with the St. Augustine Music Festival
The St. Augustine Music Festival is hosting its fifth annual Juneteenth concert, celebrating history through music. Held June 19 at the Cathedral Basilica, this free concert recognizes Juneteenth, James Weldon Johnson’s Birthday, and the 125th Anniversary of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
Fort Mose Historic State Park
The settlement of Garcia Real de Santa Theresa de Mose, now referred to as Fort Mose Historic State Park, was established in 1738 as the first free black settlement in the United States. It was inhabited by former slaves, who escaped through the original Underground Railroad, which flowed from north to south, from Georgia and the Carolinas to Fort Mose. Today, Fort Mose Historic State Park serves as a historical and cultural destination and features a newly opened reconstruction of the fort structure.
The ACCORD Civil Rights Museum
The ACCORD Civil Rights Museum hosts a fascinating collection of artifacts documenting the contributions of St. Augustine residents who risked everything in the pursuit of equality, including the original Monson Motor Lodge sign marking the site where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested. It is also the starting point for the self-guided audio tour: Admission is free and available by appointment only.
Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center
After the Civil War, many free blacks settled in a section of St. Augustine that came to be known as Lincolnville, in honor of Abraham Lincoln. It became a revolutionary center for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, hosting leaders including Robert B. Hayling, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Zora Neale Hurston. The Excelsior School Building, home to the first public black school in St. Johns County in 1925, now houses the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center. It is an African American museum dedicated to preserving, promoting, and perpetuating over 450 years of the African American story through the arts, educational programs, lectures, live performances, and exhibits.
Use the Black History App and check out the Must-Do Experiences playlist to learn more about Florida's historic coast and to create a personalized historic tour.
Located midway between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Florida's Historic Coast includes historic St. Augustine, the outstanding golf and seaside elegance of Ponte Vedra, the rural beauty of Hastings, Elkton, St. Johns, and 42 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches. Visitor Information Centers are located at 10 Castillo Drive, St. Augustine; 200 Solana Rd. Suite B, Ponte Vedra Beach: and at the St. Johns County Beach Pier Park, 350 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach. For advance travel information, call 1.800.653.2489 or go to the Visitors and Convention Bureau website at www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com. Check us out on social media Instagram @FloridasHistoricCoast; @ViajaStAugustine, Facebook.com/OfficialStAugustine, and Facebook.com/ViajaStAugustine and Twitter @FlHistoricCoast