Henry & Kat Twine
Prominent local activists and public figures.
Henry & Kat Twine
Early Life in St. Augustine
Close in age, the Twines shared similar experiences, each moving to St. Augustine from Tallahassee as children. Henry lived in the North City where his grandfather, Henry Proctor, owned properties and Kat resided in West Augustine. Both attended Excelsior High School, the first Black public high school in St Johns County, located in the Lincolnville Historic District, where they would later build their home and raise their son, Phillip.
Following his service in World War II, Henry established a career as a mail carrier for the US Postal Service. Kat worked as a nurse at the Flagler Hospital. However, these were only their day jobs. Their civil rights activism was akin to a second job; one that they performed with unwavering dedication and courage.
Mrs. Katherine Twine (1923-2002): The Rosa Parks of St. Augustine
Due to her diligent participation in the Civil Rights Movement, Kat is often referred to as the “Rosa Parks of St. Augustine.” She faithfully attended marches and sit-ins, which led to her being arrested and jailed at least five times. Eventually, Kat started leaving a packed bag by her door, knowing she would need it when arrested next.
Kat's pragmatism was a part of what made her so well known. In addition to the packed bag, when she thought she might be arrested during a demonstration, Kat wore a wide-brimmed pink hat with ‘Freedom Now’ handwritten on it and her pin from the 1963 March on Washington affixed on the top. Her reason for the hat was “personal shade.” Due to the number of protesters being arrested, the jail was overcrowded. During the day, those jailed would be forced into the prison yard under the blazing sun. What came to be called Kat’s Freedom Hat offered some protection in these instances, as well as making it easier to spot her in a crowd.
Mr. Henry Twine (1925-1994): A Community Leader
Since he would have lost his federal job, Henry avoided arrest. Yet, he was very active in the movement and community. He and Kat were among those who requested and organized Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s stay in St. Augustine. While he was in town, the Twines participated in meetings between Dr. King and other local leaders.
Soon after the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Henry agreed to test the law’s impact by showing up at the Palms Motel where he was turned away and badly beaten. This did not quell his involvement, nor his voice.
Henry was president of the local NAACP in the 1960s and a city commissioner from 1983 to 1992. He also served two terms as St. Augustine’s first Black Vice Mayor. Henry was politically active for the rest of his life. He was ready to attend a meeting concerning Black history preservation on the day of the stroke that ended his life in 1994. His beloved Kat survived him by eight years, passing away in 2002.
Lasting Legacy
In 1993, Palmo Street where the Twines resided was renamed Twine Street. This was followed by the establishment of Twine Park in their Lincolnville neighborhood. See the "Related Places" section, below, to learn more about Twine Park.
Henry received a Great Floridian 2000 award in recognition of his leadership and service and Kat was honored with the “de Aviles Award” on August 28, 2000 for her community service.
A blue plaque acknowledging Henry’s award stands in front of the Twine’s former residence at 163 Twine St. and Kat’s Freedom Hat is on display in the ACCORD Civil Rights Museum.
The Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center also shares the life of Mrs. Katherine Twine in their "Women Who Made a Difference" exhibit, which highlights the lives of five local icons who made their mark on St. Augustine's history.
The heart of this remarkable team still beats strong and steady in Lincolnville.
Resources
Online Resources
- Tap here to read the “Story of the Freedom Hat,” by David Nolan
- Tap here to read the St. Augustine Record article “Kat Twine was St. Augustine’s Rosa Parks,” by Jessica Clark.
- Tap here to read “The Excelsior: A Lincolnville Legacy of Education” on the Governor’s House Library Blog.
- Tap here to read an “Outline of the People and Events Involved in the Struggle for Civil Rights in St. Augustine in 1963 and 1964,” by Bryce Shirley on the Civil Rights Movement Archive.
- Tap here to read about Women’s History in St. Augustine from the Castillo de San Marcos website.
From the ACCORD Museum Website:
Further Reading
St. Augustine, Florida, 1963-1964: Mass Protest and Racial Violence, edited by David Garrow, 1989.
