ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Today's Black History moment takes us to Butler Beach on Anastasia Island.
It was the only spot of sand all the way to Daytona Beach where blacks were allowed to be on the beach, and one of a few beaches for blacks in segregated Northeast Florida.
The man who developed Butler Beach was a black businessman named
Frank B. Butler. It became a popular vacation spot for blacks, much like American Beach in Nassau County.
Butler also ran a casino in Northeast Florida and helped develop a subdivision of homes for black families.
For more on
Frank B. Butler and his contributions to Northeast Florida, just visit
Florida Memory at the State Archives.
