Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center
St. Augustine, Florida
March 24, 2022
Description:
The Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center is an African American history museum in the Lincolnville neighborhood of St. Augustine, Florida. This building was built in 1925 and was originally the Excelsior School building. The school was the first public black school in St. John's County. When the school closed the building. The school closed and the building was then used for government offices. These offices were used until the mid-1980s and were then scheduled to be demolished. If it weren't for the former students and the community, the building would not be standing. The museum then opened in 2005. The Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center's mission is to" preserve, promote and perpetuate over 450 years of the African American story through the arts, educational programs, lectures, live performances, and exhibits".
Exterior 1
Exterior 2
Artifact 1
The picture above consists of a countertop from St. Augustine Woolworth's lunch counter. The setup from this restaurant features the lunch counter, footrest, and the original stools. This is the only serving section of the restaurant since the Woolworth's building was demolished. In July 1963, the St. Augustine Four emerged. This was for local teenagers entered the restaurant and were later jailed for asking for a Coke and a hamburger at a whites-only lunch counter. These four teenagers were released after six months and were hailed by Martin Luther King Jr. and Jackie Robinson as heroes of the Civil Rights Movement.
Artifact 2
The artifact I chose above is the layout of supplies used by an African American nurse. In 1960, only approximately sixty African American physicians, and a lesser number of allied professionals were practicing in the state of Florida.
In Conversation 1
While looking at the exhibit with all of the nurse supplies, I thought about how African Americans were treated during wars. During WWI, African Americans were treated extremely hostile to the point where white men refused to salute black officers and black officer. On top of this treatment they were receiving, African Americans were often barred from the officer's clubs and quarters. There was a lot of tension between the blacks and the whites during this time.
In Conversation 2
During the 1950s and the 1960s, segregation was very common throughout the United States. There were separate doors for colored people, separate water fountains for colored people, and separate restrooms for colored people. This was all due to the whites not wanting to share their common areas. They used segregation as a way for whites and colored people to be "equal" but also separated from one another.
Literature In Conversation
"We do not know which to fear more, / the terror of change/ or the terror of uncertainty" -Craig Santos Perez, Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Glacier, page 18
I chose this quote from Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Glacier and I feel like it responds the the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center. This is because during the Civil Rights Movement, the African Americans did not know what the outcome would be, but they dreamed that they would eventually be seen as equal. They kept fighting for their rights and many people were arrested and given jail time. A couple examples are the St. Augustine Four, Rosa Parks refusing her seat, and other social protests.
Creative Component
For my creative component for the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural center, I digitally drew the scrip pieces displayed in the museum. The store that gave these out was called Palace Market and it was opened by Frank Butler in the Lincolnville district. The store quickly prospered in the community due to the reasonable price and the high qualities of his goods. By handing out scrip pieces as change would encourage the loyal customers. Above I included the front and back of 25 cent scrip piece.
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