Two bronze plaques mounted on an outside wall above a set of brick steps.

Rabbi Mass Arrest Monument

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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. However, protests had been going on here for more than a decade by the early 1960s.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in St. Augustine

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. Local foot soldiers hosted these "out-of-towners" in their homes.

Rabbis Summoned to St. Augustine

During the 75th annual gathering of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), Rabbi Israel Dresner read an invitation from Dr. King. The telegram asked the Jewish clergy to join the SCLC in St. Augustine, Florida to protest for civil rights. Rabbi Dresner, alongside 16 other men, answered the call.

The group had a history in mobilizing for civil rights, with Rabbi Dresner being a member of the "Tallahassee Ten" in 1961. Trusting Dr. King implicitly, the rabbis arrived in St. Augustine (where the tensions were growing by the day) mere days after Rabbi Dresner read his invitation.

Largest Arrest of Rabbis in the United States

On Thursday, June 18, 1964, the visiting rabbis gathered in the Lincolnville neighborhood's First Baptist Church to prepare for the day's protests. 15 of their group joined 120 protestors in marching to the Monson Motor Lodge, where they formed a prayer circle.

This peaceful demonstration resulted in the arrest of all 15 rabbis in attendance and functioned as the perfect distraction for a parallel (now infamous) protest at the Monson's swimming pool. The final two from the visiting rabbi group were arrested the same day.

Held in the St. Johns County Jail

The rabbis faced much abuse while jailed here, including overcrowded conditions and verbal threats from KKK members. They immediately started a hunger strike and composed a joint manifesto entitled "Why We Went."

"Why We Went: A Joint Letter from the Rabbis Arrested in St. Augustine," PDF resource from the Jewish Women's Archive