Sarasota in Sarasota County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

Beach Segregation

Photographed by Brandon D Cross, February 27, 2020

1. Beach Segregation Marker (Side 1)

Inscription.
Side 1
Beaches, a cherished asset to Sarasota County, were not always welcoming to Sarasota’s African–American communities. Prior to Brown vs. the Board of Education and Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her bus seat to a white patron, citizens of Newtown (the African-American community located north of downtown Sarasota) were campaigning for equality and a beach of their own. In 1951, the same year the County purchased its first public beach in Nokomis, Newtown resident Mary Emma Jones attended the Board of county commissioners’ meeting to request a beach for the “colored” residents. Following voter approval of a recreational bond in 1952 that included beach acquisition, the county proposed a swimming pool in Newtown. Two Newtown activists appeared before the county commission in the spring of 1955 and stated they believed more people would prefer a beach than a pool. That fall, Neil Humphrey, president of the local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, led several visits of Newtown residents to city-owned Lido Beach to show support for a beach and rejection of a community pool.

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Participants went swimming, took walks, or sat and enjoyed being at the beach; each visit ended without a major confrontation. (Continued on other side) Side 2 (Continued from other side) Neither the county nor the city wanted full responsibility for establishing a “Negro” beach. Citing severe erosion and dangerous currents, the City of Sarasota temporally closed Lido Beach to public use and instead of a “Negro” beach, supported building a swimming pool in Newtown. The county commission instituted several committees to locate and purchase a suitable beach site; suggestions included properties on Longboat , Casey, and Siesta keys, along with creating a manmade island between lido and Siesta keys (accessible by ferry), but none gained public approval . In September 1956, The News, a local newspaper, made a plea for the county and city to stop shifting responsibility and act by selecting a beach site, appropriating the funds, and making “the beach available to the Negro population.” After much public debate, a south Venice beach became the unofficial “Negro” beach; the round trip from

Beach Segregation Marker (Side 2) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross, February 27, 2020

2. Beach Segregation Marker (Side 2)

Newtown was over 40 miles. In November 1957 the city opened a community pool at Newtown Recreation Center. The 1964 Civil Rights Act made racial discrimination in public places illegal, rendering separate beaches unnecessary; however, it would be several more years before the area beaches were truly integrated.

Erected by Sarasota County Historical Commission.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Parks & Recreational Areas.

Location. 27° 18.696′ N, 82° 34.594′ W. Marker is in Sarasota, Florida, in Sarasota County. It can be reached from the intersection of Benjamin Franklin Drive and Coolidge Drive, on the right when traveling south. Marker is located on the west side of the Lido Beach Pavilion. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 400 Benjamin Franklin Dr, Sarasota FL 34236, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

It is also in the American South

and on the Gulf Coast.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

Beach Segregation Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross, February 27, 2020

3. Beach Segregation Marker

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Lido Beach Casino/Ralph Spencer Twitchell (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Gulf Beach Motel (approx. ¼ mile away); Donors to "Save our Statues" (approx. 0.4 miles away); Carla Wallenda (approx. 0.4 miles away); “Rogana” – Dora Foster (approx. 0.4 miles away); Starless Night (approx. 0.4 miles away); Allen Bloom (approx. 0.4 miles away); Ursula Boettcher and Alaska (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sarasota.

Credits. This page was last revised on March 10, 2020. It was originally submitted on March 7, 2020, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,263 times since then and 114 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 7, 2020, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.