53 years ago tonight, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was in the St. Johns County Jail, arrested for asking for service at the Monson Restaurant (since demolished over objections of historians and historic preservationists, the Monson is the site of controversial developer KANTI PATEL's Bayfront Hilton).
To this day, our other-directed St. Johns County Sheriff, DAVID SHOAR, is violating civil rights, as demonstrated by his coverups of the shootings of Michelle O'Connell and Andrea Sheldon.
St. Johns County Sheriff DAVID SHOAR, who changed his name from HOAR in 1994, has a website that chauvinistically defends the late evil St. Johns County Sheriff L.O. Davis with three material falsehoods, falsely claiming Dr. King was arrested here by federal agents, that LO. Davis held the town together, and that Davis was vindicated by the Florida State Senate, which voted 44-2 to remove him for corruption in 1970.
In jail, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote a letter to Rabbi Israel "Sy" Dressner, who brought sixteen rabbis and an administrator here, resulting in the largest mass arrest of rabbis in American history only one week later, on June 18, 1964. Six of the surviving rabbis visited in 2014, and I was honored to have lunch with Rabbi Dressner and Rabbi Alan Secher at a lunch in the church basement at St. Paul A.M.E. Church on the anniversary date -- we were served a modified version of Dr. King's favorite meal, suitable for rabbis, prepared by one of the ladies who cooked for Dr. King and made his pitchers of iced tea while he was in St. Augustine.
As a result of the courage of thousands of civil rights foot soldiers, Dr. King, Rev. Ralph David Abernathy, Rev. Andrew Jackson Young, Jr. (later our UN Ambassador) St. Augustine was in international headlines, helping President Lyndon Johnson break the Senate filibuster, signing the 1964 Civil Rights Act== into law on July 2, 1964. Dr. King won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, after which both Sheriff L.O. Davis and Police Chief Virgil Stuart insulted Dr. King, calling him and his supporters "outside agitators."
In 2005, corrupt St. Augustine City Manager WILLIAM BARRY HARRISS tried to block a civil rights monument, falsely telling Commissioners that only Spanish colonial history could be commemorated in the Plaza de la Constitucion (Slave Market Square), where there have long been monuments to the Confederate and other war veterans. Commissioners voted to allow the civil rights monument, but required proponents to raise the money.
In 2011, mutatis mutandis, mirabile dictu, we band of brothers and sisters in St. Augustine proudly dedicated two (2) civil rights monuments in our Slave Market Square, one to Andrew Young (paid for by the City) and one to the civil rights foot soldiers (privately funded but the City erected a base).
How cool is that?
Here's how The New York Times covered the story of Dr. King's arrest here in 1964:
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., June 11—The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was jailed today after he attempted to eat in one of St. Augustine's finer restaurants overlooking Matanzas Bay.
While Dr. King and 17 companions were held on charges of violating Florida's unwanted guest law, other civil rights demonstrators made another night march through crowds of jeering whites.
The whites threw firecrackers into the line of 200 marchers as they circled the old Slave Market. But there were so many helmeted officers— one for every marcher‐that the cursing whites made no attempt to assault the demonstrators as they had done previously.
After the march a crowd of white youths attempted to form a march of their own but were blocked by state troopers and police dogs.
“If the niggers can march why can’t we?” they shouted.
At one point, the crowd broke through the line and darted toward the Negro neighborhood where the marchers were reassembling in a church. But about 50 troopers and deputies ran in a body for two blocks and cut them off.
Shortly before the march, authorities found a cache of weapons including sulphuric acid, chains and clubs hidden beneath a wall along the parade route.
The city had taken two steps to reduce the danger. Workmen removed the bricks that boarded flower beds in the little park that adjoins the old slave market, and an electrician installed seven mercury vapor lights that will illuminate dark corners of the square.
Last night, white men and youths lurking in the shadows hurled bricks at state troopers who were trying to guard civil rights demonstrators from a cursing mob. The whites broke through the police line and slugged and kicked several demonstrators. Other marchers said they were burned by acid thrown from the crowd.
Tranquil During Day
By day downtown St. Augustine is the picture of tranquility with old men playing checkers in the slave market and tourists viewing old Spanish buildings from horse drawn surreys. At night it is the scene of an outpouring of racial hatred and violence.
Dr. King was arrested on the doorstep of the Monson Motor Lodge Restaurant after a 20‐minute confrontation with the president and general manager of the concern, James Brock.
Everyone in town had known for 24 hours that Dr. King would be arrested. He had announced yesterday that he would go to jail to dramatize discrimination against Negroes in the nation's oldest city.
When Dr. King and his chief aide, the Rev. Ralph D. Abernaty, arrived shortly after noon, Mr. Brock was waiting.
The night before Mr. Brock, who also is president of the Florida Hotel and Motel Association, had been seen on a downtown street carrying a shotgun, a billy stick, a pistol and a flashlight. He was one of several businessmen in town who were made special deputies yesterday by Sheriff L. O. Davis The sheriff said he had appealed to the city's civic clubs to help maintain law and order.
Mr. Brock told Dr. King that he and his party of eight persons were not wanted. The two then began a polite debate of the civil rights issue.
Fears for His Business
Dr. King asked if Mr. Brock understood the “humiliation our people have to go through.” Mr. Brock replied he would integrate his business if the substantial white citizens of the community asked him to or if he were served with a Federal Court order.
“You realize it would be detrimental to my business to serve you here,” Mr. Brock said. “I have unfortunately had to arrest 84 persons here since Easter.”
Then he turned. to the tele
As the cameras and reporters recorded the colloquy, a burly white man, impatient for his lunch, bulled his way through the crowd, violently shoved Dr. King aside and entered the restaurant.
Finally, Sheriff Davis and a deputy arrived and whisked Dr. King and his companions off to jail. Dr. King was expected to remain in jail for a few days while demonstrations continue.
There were indications that the authorities were beginning to crack down on the gangs of whites who have repeatedly set
State troopers, sent in yester‐day by Gov. Farris Bryant, used tear gas to break up the mob that caused last night's outbreak. And for the first time white assailants were arrested.
Sheriff Davis said four St. Augustine youths were charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and a fifth was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a large chain.
White House Informed
In Tallahassee, Governor Bryant said he had informed the White House law and order would be maintained without use of Federal troops or marshals. Dr. King earlier had asked President Johnson to send
“It is anticipated there will be more demonstrations,” Governor Bryant said. “We cannot guarantee that someone won’t throw a rock. We cannot completely stop every overt act. To do that we’d have to line the sidewalks with police. But law and order can be and will be maintained.”
Before he went to jail, Dr. King observed that law enforcement had improved since state troopers reinforced the local authorities.
In Jacksonville, Federal District Judge Bryan Simpson said in a court order that there had been a deliberate attempt by law enforcement officers in St. Augustine to break he civil rights movement here by punishing those arrested. Judge Simpson ordered bonds for the defendants in sit‐in cases reduced and ordered Sheriff Davis to stop putting prisoners in an outdoor pen in the open sun and in padded cells.
“More than cruel and unusual punishment has been shown,” Judge Simpson said in his order. “Here is exposed in its raw ugliness, studied and cynical brutality deliberated and contrived to break men, physically and mentally.”
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