Background/Purpose St. Augustine was Florida's most popular tourist attraction in 1964. Like many southern cities at that time, St. Augustine's beaches and pools were segregated. The purpose of this study was to develop a narrative of the events preceding and following Monson Motel pool incident.
Method A literature review included ISHOF publications and related websites. Primary and secondary sources of data were analyzed by historiography.
Analysis/Results In the summer of 1964, St. Augustine became the target for a massive non-violent civil right demonstration. When attempts were made to integrate the beaches of Anastasia Island demonstrators endured faced abuse, beatings, and verbal assaults by white segregationists without any retaliation. The demonstrations escalated when Martin Luther King, Jr. was arrested for trespassing at the segregated Monson Motel. A few days later, on June 18, 1964, a group of black and white protesters jumped into the pool at the Monson Motel. In response, the owner of the motel, James Brock, was photographed pouring muriatic acid into the pool to get protesters out. Photographs of this, and of a policeman jumping into the pool to arrest them, were broadcasted around the world and became some of the most famous images of the entire Civil Rights Movement.
Conclusions Photographs of the swimming pool incident in St. Augustine have been credited with helping persuade undecided legislators to vote in favor of the Civil Act of 1964 outlawing segregation in all public places and facilities. The US Senate passed the Act on June 19, 1964.
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