Urban Core in Jacksonville in Duval County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Axe Handle Saturday
A Defining Moment in the Civil Rights Movement
Photographed by Tim Fillmon, September 1, 2026
1. Axe Handle Saturday Marker
On August 27, 1960, members of the NAACP Youth Council organized peaceful demonstrations in downtown Jacksonville to challenge segregation and unequal treatment. Opposition groups armed with axe handles and clubs attacked mostly Black citizens in and around downtown Jacksonville, including this site, formerly known as Hemming Park. Referred to as "Axe Handle Saturday, the violence gained national attention and became one of the most significant moments in Jacksonville's Civil Rights history.
Erected 2026 by The Legacy Project - City of Jacksonville - Donna Delgan, Mayor.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights. A significant historical date for this entry is August 27, 1960.
Location. 30° 19.784′ N, 81° 39.579′ W. Marker is in Jacksonville, Florida, in Duval County. It is in Urban Core. It is at the intersection of West Duval Street and North Hogan Street, on the left when traveling west on West Duval Street. Marker is on the northwest corner of James Weldon Johnson Park, formerly Hemming Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Jacksonville
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Florida’s First Coast. It is also in the American South and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, 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: Votes for Women (a few steps from this marker); Jacksonville's 1901 Fire (a few steps from this marker); The Seminole Club (within shouting distance of this marker); Jacksonville Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); John Milton Bryan Simpson (within shouting distance of this marker); King’s Road Meets Apalache Trail (within shouting distance of this marker); 1960 Civil Rights Demonstration (within shouting distance of this marker); John Fitzgerald Kennedy (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map
Photographed by Tim Fillmon, September 1, 2026
2. Axe Handle Saturday Marker
Another marker is no longer nearby. Confederate Memorial 1861-1865 (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed).
Also see . . . Axe Handle Saturday. (Submitted on September 2, 2026, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on September 2, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 2, 2026, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 12 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 2, 2026, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.
