ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Sixty-one years ago this week, a pivotal moment in history unfolded in St. Augustine, Florida, when 16 Jewish rabbis were arrested for standing alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a powerful protest against segregation.
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And on Wednesday, the St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society will remember this historic event, which marked the largest mass arrest of rabbis in U.S. history, during its 13th annual commemoration ceremony.
Local leaders will gather at the very jail where those Jewish leaders were detained, highlighting the importance of the location in the context of civil rights history.
The commemoration will focus on a letter titled “Why We Went,” which expressed the rabbis’ commitment to confronting racial discrimination.
The rabbis famously created a diversion at the Monson Motor Lodge, allowing young Black activists to swim in the “whites only” pool.
This act of defiance led to outrage when acid was poured into the water to force Black activists to get out.
Local leaders, including St. Augustine Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline, will read the rabbis’ letter during the ceremony. Additionally, the son of one of the arrested rabbis will share a touching letter from Dr. King that includes an invitation to his father to join the fight for justice.
The event will take place at the site of the Old County Jail on Lewis Speedway at noon. After the ceremony, guests will have the opportunity to tour the Mobile Museum of Tolerance until 4 p.m., marking its first visit to Florida.
Furthermore, this event was so significant that Congress passed the Civil Rights Act the day after the arrests in 1964, following 83 days of debate.
