St. Augustine in St. Johns County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
10 Hildreth Drive
ACCORD Freedom Trail
Although there had been racially integrated schools in St. Augustine in colonial times, when the public school system was established here after the Civil War it was done on a segregated basis, with separate schools for whites and blacks. Florida even had a law making it illegal to store the textbooks for white and black schools in the same warehouse.
In 1954, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education that racial segregation in public schools had to end. It was not until 1963, however, that Fullerwood and Ketterlinus became the first schools here to desegregate. The children of two black families who lived in the North City area, the Brunsons and the Robersons, were admitted to the formerly all-white Fullerwood School.
Opposition to integration was intense. In January 1964 while Charles Brunson, an employee of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, was attending a PTA meeting here, his car was set on fire. In October 1963, an unsuccessful attempt had been made to firebomb the home of the Roberson family. A second attempt in February 1964 succeeded, and today a Freedom Trail marker on Gault Street shows where only the brick steps of the house survive. Bungum Roberson, father of the children who helped break the racial barrier at Fullerwood, was fired from his job at the local Ford dealership in retaliation for his civil rights activities.
Fullerwood closed as an elementary school in the 1980s and later housed St. Johns River Community College and the media center for the county public schools. A teacher training session held here in February 2009 brought many people who had participated in the civil rights movement together to share their experiences with those who will teach future generations.
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. In addition, it is included in the Florida, St. Augustine Freedom Trail series list. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1964.
Location. 29° 55.105′ N, 81° 19.287′ W. Marker is in St. Augustine, Florida, in St. Johns County. Marker is on Hildreth Drive. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10 Hildreth Drive, 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. Fullerwood Park Historic District (approx. 0.3 miles away); Waterworks Building (approx. 0.6 miles away); St. Augustine Water Works (approx. 0.6 miles away); Nelmar Terrace Historic District (approx. 0.6 miles away); Davenport Park (approx. 0.6 miles away); Slaves No More (approx. 0.7 miles away); On With The Show (approx. 0.7 miles away); Henry Flagler's "Winter Newport" (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Augustine.
Additional commentary.
1. Fullerwood School Picture around 1957
I would like to see a photo of the school in 1957 showing the small 2 story wooden building that I attended in first grade with Miss Lyon as my teacher. Some friends of mine do not believe that building existed.
— Submitted December 11, 2021, by Larry Henderson of Palm Coast, Florida.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 29, 2022. It was originally submitted on March 6, 2011, by Gwendolyn Duncan of St. Augustine, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,437 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 6, 2011, by Gwendolyn Duncan of St. Augustine, Florida. 3. submitted on December 21, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.