Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center facts for kids
The Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center is a special place in St. Augustine, Florida. It teaches about the history and culture of African Americans in the area. You can find it at 102 Martin Luther King Avenue.
This museum is inside the old Excelsior School building. This school was once the first public high school for Black students in St. Augustine. The museum first opened its doors in 2005.
Contents
The Story of Lincolnville and Excelsior School
What is Lincolnville?
Lincolnville is a neighborhood in St. Augustine today. But it started as its own town. It was founded by Black people who had gained their freedom after the American Civil War. They built a new community there.
The First Black High School
The museum is located in the historic Excelsior High School. This was the first public high school for African American students in St. Augustine. The very first public school for Black children in the city was built in 1901. Like many schools back then, it was separated by race.
In 1925, a new high school for Black students was built. It was called "School #2" or "the Colored School." A local architect named Fred A. Henderich designed it. In 1928, it was given the name Excelsior.
Many important people went to Excelsior School. These include NFL football star Willie Galimore. Also, St. Augustine Movement civil rights leaders Henry and Kat Twine were alumni. Excelsior School closed in 1968. After that, local government offices used the building for a while.
About the Museum Today
How the Museum Started
Otis Mason was the main person who helped start this museum. He was a former student of Excelsior High School. In 1984, he became the first Black superintendent of the St. Johns County School District.
The museum first opened in 2005 as the Excelsior Museum and Cultural Center. In 2012, its name changed to the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center. Since 2017, the museum has been regularly open for visitors to explore.
What You Can See and Learn
The museum focuses on the history, culture, and achievements of African Americans in the St. Augustine area. You can learn about:
- The history of the Lincolnville neighborhood.
- The role of runaway slaves in building Fort Mose.
- The history of Black churches in the area.
- Black historical and social groups.
- Black business owners in St. Augustine.
- Visits to St. Augustine by civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr..
The museum has many interesting items. These include artwork, souvenirs, and old photographs. Many exhibits show the civil rights movement in St. Augustine. In 2016, the museum started to show even more parts of the area's history.
In 2019, the museum had about 9,000 square feet (836 square meters) of space for its exhibits.
New Exhibits and Support
In 2018, St. Johns County helped the museum create a new exhibit. This exhibit, called Lincolnville LifeWays, highlights important people and places in Lincolnville's past. It includes photos by Richard Twine. He was an African American photographer who took many pictures of everyday life in Lincolnville in the 1920s.
The Lincolnville Museum received a large grant in September 2019. The National Park Service gave $500,000 to help repair, preserve, and update the building and its exhibits.
