Commemorating Jackie Robinson Day!

Jackie Robinson Day

On April 15, 1947 Jackie Robinson made his historic debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking the color line in Major League Baseball. In 2004, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig  declared April 15 to be "Jackie Robinson Day" in honor of his heroic action on and off the field.

Jackie Robinson’s Ties to Lincolnville

Days after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested in St. Augustine, Jackie Robinson spoke at Lincolnville’s own St. Paul AME Church. According to Dr. Michael Butler, Associate Professor of History at Flagler College, Robinson praised arrested protestors, including Dr. King and the St. Augustine Four. Robinson urged the audience to press on saying, “This is the time for action.” Click below to find a recording of his passionate address at St. Paul AME Church on June 16, 1964.

St. Augustine’s Civil Rights Demonstrations

The Civil Rights demonstrations that took place in St. Augustine are a powerful chapter in the American story. Coverage of the events were seen at an international level. The brave efforts of demonstrators as well as the violent pushback from opposition made St. Augustine a major player in stirring up what had been stalled efforts  to pass the Civil Rights Bill. Learn more about St. Augustine’s local activism and the impact it had on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in person at the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center.