American Beach, Florida
Encyclopedia
American Beach is a historic beach
community popular with African-American vacationers. It is located north of Jacksonville, Florida
on Amelia Island
in Nassau County
. During the time of segregation and the Jim Crow era, African American
s were not allowed to swim at most of the beaches in Jacksonville
, and several black-only areas were created. American Beach was the largest and most popular, and was a community established by Abraham Lincoln Lewis
, Florida's first black millionaire and president of the Afro-American Life Insurance Company. It contains American Beach Historic District
.
, Abraham Lincoln Lewis
, and his Afro-American Life Insurance Company
. The plan was for his employees to have a place to vacation and own homes for their families by the shore. Throughout the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, summers at American Beach were busy with families, churches and children. The beach included hotels, restaurants, bathhouse
s and nightclub
s as well as homes and other businesses.
American Beach played host to numerous celebrities during this period, including: folklorist Zora Neale Hurston
, singer Billie Daniels, Cab Calloway
, Ray Charles
, Billy Eckstein, Hank Aaron, Joe Louis
, and actor Ossie Davis
. James Brown
was actually turned away from performing outside Evans' Rendezvous, a nightclub on the beach. In 1964, American Beach was hit hard by Hurricane Dora
, and many homes and buildings were destroyed. The passage of the Civil Rights Act
that same year desegregated
the beaches of Florida, and American Beach became a less and less popular vacation destination as more African American Jacksonvillians turned to locations nearer their homes.
A.L. Lewis' great-granddaughter MaVynee Betsch
, known to locals as the Beach Lady, returned to American Beach in 1977 to fight for its preservation. For years she planted trees along Lewis street, offered historical tours of the beach, and fought to raise public awareness of the beach and its struggle until her death September 2005. As of January 2002, American Beach is listed as a historic site by the National Register of Historic Places
.
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
community popular with African-American vacationers. It is located north of Jacksonville, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
on Amelia Island
Amelia Island
Amelia Island is one of the southernmost of the Sea Islands, a chain of barrier islands that stretches along the east coast of the United States from South Carolina to Florida. It is long and approximately 4 miles wide at its widest point. Amelia Island is situated off the coast in Nassau County,...
in Nassau County
Nassau County, Florida
Nassau County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 57,663. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county was 69,835. Its county seat is Fernandina Beach, Florida....
. During the time of segregation and the Jim Crow era, African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s were not allowed to swim at most of the beaches in Jacksonville
Jacksonville Beaches
The Jacksonville Beaches, known locally as the "Beaches" or simply the "Beach", is the collective name for the towns and communities on the northern half of an unnamed barrier island on Florida's First Coast, all of which are suburbs or parts of the city of Jacksonville. These communities are...
, and several black-only areas were created. American Beach was the largest and most popular, and was a community established by Abraham Lincoln Lewis
Abraham Lincoln Lewis
Abraham Lincoln Lewis was an American businessman. He founded the Afro-American Life Insurance Company in Jacksonville, Florida, and became the state's first African American millionaire...
, Florida's first black millionaire and president of the Afro-American Life Insurance Company. It contains American Beach Historic District
American Beach Historic District
The American Beach Historic District is a U.S. historic district in American Beach, Florida. It is roughly bounded by Gregg, Lewis, Leonard, Main and James Streets, and Ocean Boulevard, encompasses approximately , and contains 67 buildings and 1 structure. On January 28, 2002, it was added to the...
.
History
American Beach was founded in 1935 by Florida's first black millionaireMillionaire
A millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth is equal to or exceeds one million units of currency. It can also be a person who owns one million units of currency in a bank account or savings account...
, Abraham Lincoln Lewis
Abraham Lincoln Lewis
Abraham Lincoln Lewis was an American businessman. He founded the Afro-American Life Insurance Company in Jacksonville, Florida, and became the state's first African American millionaire...
, and his Afro-American Life Insurance Company
Afro-American Life Insurance Company
The Afro-American Life Insurance Company was a historic business based in Jacksonville, Florida. It was founded in 1901 by Abraham Lincoln Lewis and his business associates.-Background:...
. The plan was for his employees to have a place to vacation and own homes for their families by the shore. Throughout the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, summers at American Beach were busy with families, churches and children. The beach included hotels, restaurants, bathhouse
Public bathing
Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness. The term public may confuse some people, as some types of public baths are restricted depending on membership, gender, religious affiliation, or other reasons. As societies have changed, public baths have been replaced as private bathing...
s and nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s as well as homes and other businesses.
American Beach played host to numerous celebrities during this period, including: folklorist Zora Neale Hurston
Zora Neale Hurston
Zora Neale Hurston was an American folklorist, anthropologist, and author during the time of the Harlem Renaissance...
, singer Billie Daniels, Cab Calloway
Cab Calloway
Cabell "Cab" Calloway III was an American jazz singer and bandleader. He was strongly associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York City where he was a regular performer....
, Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, Billy Eckstein, Hank Aaron, Joe Louis
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
, and actor Ossie Davis
Ossie Davis
Ossie Davis was an American film actor, director, poet, playwright, writer, and social activist.-Early years:...
. James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
was actually turned away from performing outside Evans' Rendezvous, a nightclub on the beach. In 1964, American Beach was hit hard by Hurricane Dora
Hurricane Dora
Hurricane Dora was the first tropical cyclone on record to make landfall over the extreme northeast coast of Florida. Dora was also the first storm to produce hurricane force winds to Jacksonville, Florida in the almost 80 years of record keeping. Dora killed five people and left over...
, and many homes and buildings were destroyed. The passage of the Civil Rights Act
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that outlawed major forms of discrimination against African Americans and women, including racial segregation...
that same year desegregated
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
the beaches of Florida, and American Beach became a less and less popular vacation destination as more African American Jacksonvillians turned to locations nearer their homes.
A.L. Lewis' great-granddaughter MaVynee Betsch
MaVynee Betsch
MaVynee Betsch was an American environmentalist and an activist. She was better known as The Beach Lady, because she spent the better part of her adult life educating the public on the black history and environmental importance of American Beach...
, known to locals as the Beach Lady, returned to American Beach in 1977 to fight for its preservation. For years she planted trees along Lewis street, offered historical tours of the beach, and fought to raise public awareness of the beach and its struggle until her death September 2005. As of January 2002, American Beach is listed as a historic site by the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Geography
American Beach is located at 30.57472°N 81.44417°W (30.57472, -81.44417).Further reading
- Russ RymerRuss RymerRuss Rymer is an author and freelance journalist with articles in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The New Yorker, and others. His first book, Genie, a Scientific Tragedy, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and awarded with the Whiting Writers' Award...
, American Beach: How "Progress" Robbed a Black Town—and Nation—of History, Wealth, and Power, (2000) ISBN 0-06-093089-6 - Russ Rymer, American Beach: A Saga of Race, Wealth, and Memory, (1998) ISBN 0-06-017483-8
Fictional portrayals
- Janice Sims, That Summer At American Beach, (2006) ISBN 1-58314-627-X
- Sunshine StateSunshine State (film)Sunshine State is a 2002 American comedy–drama film written and directed by John Sayles. The picture stars an ensemble cast that features Angela Bassett, Edie Falco, Jane Alexander, Alan King, Timothy Hutton, Mary Steenburgen, Bill Cobbs, and others. The movie was filmed on Amelia Island,...
, Film directed by John Sayles (2002) Sunshine State (film)Sunshine State (film)Sunshine State is a 2002 American comedy–drama film written and directed by John Sayles. The picture stars an ensemble cast that features Angela Bassett, Edie Falco, Jane Alexander, Alan King, Timothy Hutton, Mary Steenburgen, Bill Cobbs, and others. The movie was filmed on Amelia Island,...