Florida’s Historic Coast has a rich Spanish and British history, but it is also significant in African American history. The African American history of Florida spans centuries, from the arrival of black Spanish soldiers in the 16th century to the country’s original Underground Railroad in the 1700s, and the historic protests and sit-ins by Black activists, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s, paving the way for the Civil Rights Act.
To celebrate Black History Month, Florida’s Historic Coast has a host of events, programs, and historic spaces. Visitors can celebrate Black art at various galleries in St. Augustine, such as the Ovico Gallery showcasing contemporary African Art, and photographer Lenny Foster’s One Forty Four Gallery, which tells the story of historical black figures.
Fort Mose Historic State Park, the first free Black settlement in the United States, recognizes the brave souls who made the perilous journey to Spanish La Floride with Flight to Freedom February 1-3. The Ximenez-Fatio House offers “I Lived Here, As Well – Together,” a first-person perspective of an enslaved man and woman, from enslavement to freedom.
The Lincolnville neighborhood is the epicenter of Black history in St. Augustine, featuring the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center and the ACCORD Freedom Trail Project, which includes 31 historic sites from the St. Augustine Civil Rights Movement. Historic Tours of America has expanded its Old Town Trolley Tours to include a new stop to serve the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center.
In the month of February, Black musicians take center stage, with Café Eleven welcoming blues guitarist and songwriter Selwyn Birchwood on Feb. 2 and John Primer, former lead guitarist for Muddy Waters, on Feb. 25. The Fort Mose Jazz and Blues Series returns February 8-17, with featured performers Common, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Keb’ Mo’ and more.
Florida’s Historic Coast has an extensive culinary landscape, including several Black chefs making their mark on the food scene. Executive Chef Denzel Aponte at The Reef Restaurant, Executive Chef Lashunta Harris at Prohibition Kitchen, and Chef Tyrone Bennett, known for his philanthropy with his food truck, Heart and Soul Food Eatery, are some of the area’s most respected culinarians.
