On June 18, 1964, a group of Black civil rights activists were attacked while swimming in the pool at the Monson Motor Lodge in St. Augustine Florida. While peacefully protesting racial segregation, the group was assaulted by the hotel’s owner James Brock who attempted to drive them out by pouring acid into the water. Though there were no fatalities, several people sustained injuries, highlighting the extreme violence and hatred faced by those fighting for racial equality in the South. A series of photographs from the incident made headlines in newspapers across the country. The shocking images drew the attention of President Lyndon Johnson as well as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who came to St. Augustine to directly confront Brock in a show of solidarity. Similar protests occurred in the days that followed at pools and beaches nation-wide. These so-called swim-ins rallied support the passage of the Civil Rights Act, which was signed into law less than a month later, on July 2, 1964.
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The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of Black American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.
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The St. Augustine Acid Assault of 1964