Florida played a critical role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act 60 years ago

TAMPA - America is celebrating a special and important anniversary. President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act 60 years ago, on July 2, 1964. And Florida played a critical role in getting it passed.

Last year, the legislature created a task force to recommend the best location for a new Florida Museum of Black History. It recommended St. Augustine for the 1964 protests that compelled Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act and much more. Some of the most striking stories are seldom told or taught in schools.

For example, in the 1800s, you know Harriet Tubman helped free slaves who escaped from the south to the north. But in the 1700s, the original underground railroad ran from the north to the south -- from the British colonies to the Spanish City of St. Augustine. Escaped slaves could live in freedom if they joined the militia and pledged allegiance to Spain.

"And so many came that by 1738, the Spanish Governor established a free Black community called Ft. Mose as the northern defense of the city," said historian David Nolan.

They fiercely defended the city from British raids.

"To the British, the Spanish said ‘okay, you can try to invade us if you want, but first you have to get through these people who escaped slavery at your hands’ and it was a perfect strategy."

READ: Civil rights activists reunite in St. Augustine 60 years after staged protests

About 100 years later, their descendants in the Civil War helped the Union control St. Augustine within a year, and many of the African American soldiers who fought for the Union came from St. Augustine.

"And some of them after the war came and settled here and they formed a leadership cadre for the Black community in St. Augustine," Nolan explained.

And about 100 years later, their descendants led the sit-ins, marches, and wade-ins that convinced Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act.

It's a remarkable story of protesters attacked and beaten, and of students like Alfred Davis who heard Dr. King speak in their church, and answered his call for peaceful resistance.

"He started speaking and I was not aware of the magnitude of what was going on," said Davis.

But when he marched and a racist mob broke his foot, it began to sink in.

"It was almost like a voice going off in my head. Why fight violence with violence because it’s only going to beget violence and perhaps this time I can be more like him."

In the summer of 1964, he and many others made St. Augustine the epicenter of the nation's civil rights movement. They became the foot soldiers behind the Civil Rights Act. And on this 60th anniversary of its signing, the same church where King spoke hosted a film festival and reception to honor those foot soldiers.

Dr. King's top Lieutenant Andrew Young came back to St. Augustine for this special day, and so did a lot of men and women who led the peaceful resistance and would not back down.

"It was the faith of these people who helped change our nation," Young said.

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