Constructed in 1939-1940 by the Works Progress Administration, the St. Augustine Beach Hotel and its surrounding structures, including the boardwalk and seawall, are recognized on the National Register of Historic Places due to their importance in social history, civil rights, commerce and entertainment.
In 1964, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference organized nonviolent protests in St. Augustine during the city’s 400th anniversary to draw attention to the Civil Rights Act debate. The swim-ins at Monson Motor Lodge and wade-ins at St. Augustine Beach captured global media attention, helping to hasten the passage of the Civil Rights Act. Although Monson Motor Lodge has been demolished, the St. Augustine Beach Hotel and the landmarks visually delineating the stretch of beach where the wade-ins took place remain, preserving the memory of these pivotal events.
From June 17 – July 1, 1964, St. Augustine Beach was a focal point for civil rights demonstrations. The wade-ins on June 17 were successful, and by June 22, protesters faced increasing resistance. The situation escalated as police were ordered to protect rather than hinder the nonviolent demonstrators. On June 25, the Ku Klux Klan led a violent confrontation against protestors at the beach.
From the hotel to the shore, segregationists taunted protestors with derogatory chants before drawing weapons and inciting a riot. Images of the Florida Highway Patrol breaking up the riot and standing fully uniformed in the ocean to protect the protestors were among the most circulated of the entire St. Augustine movement. National media coverage of the event showed images of the St. Augustine Beach Hotel in the background, highlighted the brutality faced by the demonstrators, and galvanized public support for the Civil Rights Movement. Law enforcement reports and judicial witnesses verify that this wade-in at St. Augustine Beach proved to be the most violent day of the St. Augustine campaign. The intense media coverage and images of the incidents in St. Augustine have been widely credited for ending the Senate filibuster and expediting the passage of the Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964.
The St. Augustine Beach Hotel and its surroundings are enduring symbols of the civil rights struggle, especially the wade-in protests that were crucial in advancing civil rights legislation. The hotel is part of the ACCORD Freedom Trail and is home to the “Waves of Change” exhibit, which showcases the impactful images from the protests. A plaque in front of the hotel commemorates the wade-ins and the passage of the Civil Rights Act, marking the hotel’s historical significance and inviting visitors to learn about this critical chapter in the Civil Rights Movement.
