Lincolnville in St. Augustine in St. Johns County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
102 M.L. King Avenue
ACCORD Freedom Trail
This area in the heart of Lincolnville was associated with black education for nearly a century. This lot was the site of the Presbyterian Parochial and Industrial School, headed by Rev. James H. Cooper. It was demolished in 1940 and the grounds became part of Excelsior School.
Across the street there were two school buildings dating back to the Flagler Era of the late 1800s, before the existing Excelsior School was built in 1925. It was the first public high school serving black students in St. Augustine. Before that, a public high school education had only been available to whites.
One of the early teachers at Excelsior was Edward D. Davis (1904-1989), who became president of the Florida NAACP and worked with civil rights martyr Harry T. Moore and future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall on a campaign in the 1940s to equalize the pay of black and white teachers. At the time, blacks were paid only about half as much as their white counterparts were. Davis published his autobiography A Half Century of Struggle for Freedom in Florida in 1981.
Many Excelsior alumni made important contributions to the civil rights movement of the 1960s, including Henry Thomas (one of the original Freedom Riders), members of the Eubanks family, Henry and Katherine Twine, and College Football Hall of Famer Willie Galimore.
In 2005, the Excelsior building opened as the city's first museum of African American history.
This Historical Marker Presented this 2nd Day of July, 2009 by Northrop Grumman
Erected 2009 by The 40th Anniversary to Commemorate the Civil Rights Demonstrations, Inc. (ACCORD).
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the Florida, St. Augustine Freedom Trail series list. A significant historical month for this entry is July 2009.
Location. 29° 53.141′ N, 81° 18.888′ W. Marker is in St. Augustine, Florida, in St. Johns County. It is in Lincolnville. Marker is on Martin Luther King Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 102 M L King Ave, Saint Augustine FL 32084, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 112 M.L. King Avenue (within shouting distance of this marker); 97 M.L. King Avenue (within shouting distance of this marker); 113 DeHaven Street (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Black Catholic Heritage (about 400 feet away); St. Paul A.M.E. Church (about 400 feet away); 120 DeHaven Street (about 500 feet away); 111 Lincoln Street (about 500 feet away); 84 St. Benedict Street (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Augustine.
Also see . . . The ACCORD Freedom Trail. Website homepage (Submitted on March 6, 2011, by Gwendolyn Duncan of St. Augustine, Florida.)
Additional commentary.
1. The Old Excelsior High Building 102 Martin Luther King Avenue
Today, the building is the site of the Lincolnville Cultural Center and Museum.
— Submitted May 21, 2014, by James R. Murray of Elkton, Florida.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 20, 2021. It was originally submitted on March 6, 2011, by Gwendolyn Duncan of St. Augustine, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,235 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 6, 2011, by Gwendolyn Duncan of St. Augustine, Florida. 3. submitted on April 13, 2017, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on May 21, 2014, by James R. Murray of Elkton, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.