West St. Augustine – A Hidden Gem

Don’t miss the tasty WEST KING ST. EATERIES & BUSINESSES below!

*Author Zora Neale Hurston*	Explore West Augustine Just across US 1 from St. Augustine’s historic district, West Augustine is an area with rich African-American history and home to a number of creative businesses. Learn about its important history, budding businesses, and local events in this week’s newsletter. Click HERE to read our blog about the West King District.

A LESSON IN HISTORY

The Florida Normal and Industrial Institute came to St. Augustine in 1918 through a merger of two earlier institutions dedicated to serving former slaves and their descendants. In 1941, the private historically Black school grew to become a four-year liberal arts institution, with the first class graduating in 1945. The school’s name changed to Florida Memorial College in 1963, moved to Miami in 1968, and now operates as Florida Memorial University. The final remnant of the institution is the Abraham Lincoln Lewis Archway, named after the first Black millionaire in Florida. Lewis was a businessman and founded the Afro-American Life Insurance Company of Jacksonville, Florida in 1901. He also founded American Beach, a community listed on the National Register which became a prestigious vacation spot for Black people during the segregation period. Lewis paid for the arch’s construction, now located on the corner of Holmes Boulevard and West King Street. Initially, the arch lived on the opposite side of the street, then was moved and restored in 2009. The archway was dedicated in 2011 when Florida Memorial students and alumni gathered to remember the history of the school and honor A. L. Lewis’s legacy. READ MORE HERE

LITERARY LANDMARK

Zora Neale Hurston is best known as an American folklorist who celebrated the African American culture of the rural South. During Franklin Roosevelt’s presidency, the Works Progress Administration was launched to provide funding for researchers, writers, and editors. Hurston benefitted from this program by traveling through Florida, completing interviews, and writing about growing up in the state. Her most famous books include Their Eyes Were Watching God published in 1937, and an autobiography titled Dust Tracks on a Road which she completed in St. Augustine and published in 1942. Born in 1891 in Notasulga, Alabama, Zora and her family soon moved to Eatonville, Florida, a rural community near Orlando known as the first incorporated Black township. Cast out of her family home as a teenager, she fought to get an education and became a recognized artist of the Harlem Renaissance movement. She made her way to St. Augustine, where she met Pulitzer Prize-winner Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings in 1940. Their relationship was controversial for the time, conflicting with rigid social norms, deeply ingrained prejudice, and Jim Crow laws which were harshly enforced by the state. Despite all of that, Rawlings invited Hurston to be a guest speaker at the all-Black Florida Normal School. She was so impressed with Hurston that she invited her to tea at her husband’s white-only hotel the next day. Rawlings arranged for a bellboy to move Hurston to a private apartment to keep her safe from guests who could have endangered her. They mutually enjoyed each other’s company and Rawlings referred to Hurston as a sister. Rawlings stated their friendship forced her to confront and question her own internal prejudices which lead her to fight against racial segregation and injustice. During her time in St. Augustine, Hurston married at the St. Johns County Courthouse and taught courses at the Florida Normal and Industrial Institute. She also rented a home at 791 West King Street where she completed her autobiography. In 2003, St. Johns County and the Florida Department of State recognized the home as a Historic Landmark. In 2016 the St. Augustine City Commission named the park on the corner of Ponce de Leon Boulevard and King Street in her honor, complete with a sign documenting her legacy and association with the city. On November 3rd at 6:30 PM, the St. Johns Cultural Council and the St. Johns County Public Library are hosting a virtual book club via Zoom to discuss Crossing the Creek: The Literary Friendship of Zora Neale Hurston & Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings by Anna Lillios. Click HERE to learn more and register.

UPCOMING EVENTS
	West King Wednesday Every 3rd Wednesday of the month, the small businesses of West Augustine collaborate to share the community and culture of the area. Each business will celebrate with something different like featured artists, live music, tasty treats, and more! This event is free and open to the public. Masks are greatly encouraged. SEE MORE:

	BOGtoberfest On Saturday, October 2nd, Bog Brewing presents the second annual BOGtoberfest. Enjoy festive German beers on draft in the neighborhood taproom at 218 West King Street. Guests must be 21 & over to participate. SEE MORE: