Grey one-story slatboard house with a large front porch, greenery and ACCORD Freedom Trail marker in the foreground.

120 DeHaven Street

Home of Mrs. Rena Ayers, Civil Rights Housemother.

120 DeHaven Street

120 DeHaven Street,
St. Augustine, FL 32084

Mr. Jutson Ayers — Alligator Wrestler

Before his death in 1958, Mr. Jutson Ayers of 120 DeHaven Street was an alligator wrestler at the Alligator Farm on St. Augustine’s Anastasia Island. He bought this house in the 1930s, about a decade after it was built.

At the time, it was common for African American men to work as alligator wrestlers, often performing under harassment from White members of the audience.

St. Augustine Civil Rights Movement (1951-1968)

The events of the St. Augustine Movement are recognized as being pivotal to the passing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

By the spring of 1964, the efforts of local Black citizens to secure their civil rights had been ongoing in St. Augustine for over a decade. But that year, summons by local activists led to a collaboration with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

Dr. King's presence here earned national attention, attracting droves of American activists to join the demonstrations — from college students to rabbis to New England socialites.

These “out-of-towners” often lodged in the homes of local activists, like Mrs. Rena Ayers at 120 DeHaven Street.

Mrs. Rena Hankerson Ayers — Civil Rights Housemother

When the SCLC came to St. Augustine, Mrs. Rena Hankerson Ayers was a widow working at the Monson Motor Lodge on the St. Augustine Bayfront.

During the 1960s, Mrs. Ayers participated in local demonstrations and hosted visiting activists here at 120 DeHaven. According to an article in The St. Augustine Record, Mrs. Ayers described Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as “a very quiet man.”

A force in the community, Mrs. Ayers was a longtime member of St. Mary’s Missionary Baptist Church at 69 Washington Street in the Lincolnville Historic District.

She passed away in 2014 at the age of 109, being remembered by her family as a truly kind and humble Christian.

Alvin J. Bronstein — Attorney for the Cause

One of the many visiting activists who came to St. Augustine in 1964, Alvin J. Bronstein was a New York lawyer. He arrived after the passing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act — in August of that year.

Originally, Bronstein intended to contribute his legal knowledge to the local movement. However, he was so inspired by the dedication of St. Augustine’s activists that he became a lifelong advocate for American civil rights.

Bronstein founded the National Prison Project of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in 1972. He passed away in 2015.

Reunion and Remembrance

More than forty years after they had lived and marched together, Bronstein returned to 120 DeHaven Street. In March 2005, Mrs. Rena Hankerson Ayers was 100 years old and Alvin J. Bronstein was 76.

According to the Freedom Trail marker at 120 DeHaven, during his visit, Bronstein “walked through the front door … pointed to the left and said, ‘That’s my room.’”

Later that year, in August 2005, a set of stamps was issued by the U.S. Post Service that recognized Mrs. Rena Ayers for her dedication to the 1960s Civil Rights Movement.

Visiting the ACCORD Freedom Trail

Launched in 2007, the ACCORD Freedom Trail pays tribute to the activists and leaders (or "heroes and sheroes") of the St. Augustine Civil Rights Movement. The ACCORD Civil Rights Museum is the central location on the Freedom Trail.

Visit the ACCORD Freedom Trail Website to learn more.