History
American Beach was co-founded in 1935 by Florida's first black millionaire, Abraham Lincoln Lewis, and his Afro-American Life Insurance Company. A. L. Lewis was one of the original founders of the Afro-American Life Insurance Company in 1901; with little education he became a world traveler, investor, philanthropist, and the first African-American millionaire in the state of Florida. Since many white-owned insurance companies at the time would not insure Black Americans, A. L. Lewis's company filled a niche in the community and was very successful. With this newfound wealth, A. L. Lewis bought and built various amenities open to Black Americans, such as the Lincoln Golf & Country Club and, of course, American Beach. Throughout the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, summers at American Beach were busy with families, churches, and children. American Beach stretched over 216 acres. It was a place where African Americans could enjoy "Recreation and Relaxation Without Humiliation". The beach included hotels, restaurants, and nightclubs as well as homes and other businesses. Over time American Beach became known as "The Negro Ocean Playground" a place for "Recreation and Relaxation without Humiliation". American Beach played host to numerous celebrities during this period, including: folklorist Zora Neale Hurston, singer Billy Daniels, Billie Daniels, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Billy Eckstein, Hank Aaron, Joe Louis, actor Ossie Davis, and Sherman Hemsley. James Brown was actually turned away from performing outside Evans' Rendezvous, a nightclub on the beach. In 1964, American Beach was hit hard by Hurricane Dora, and many homes and buildings were destroyed. Prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Civil Rights Act, it was not unheard of for Black beaches to be Racial segregation in the United States, located outside of city limits, thus forcing Black families to walk miles simply to bathe in the ocean. After the Civil Rights Act Desegregation in the United States, desegregated the beaches of Florida in 1964, American Beach became less of a necessity and many African-American Jacksonvillians turned to locations closer to home. A. L. Lewis's granddaughter MaVynee Betsch, known to locals as the Beach Lady, returned to American Beach in 1977 to fight for its preservation. Despite American Beach's loss of its status as a regional vacation spot for African Americans, Betsch tried to hold onto American Beach against potential buyers of the land. She wanted to make American Beach a monument to black Americans' determination to overcome the obstacles of the Jim Crow laws, Jim Crow era. As of January 2001, American Beach is listed as a historic site by the National Register of Historic Places. In 2003, Amelia Island Plantation bought Nana Dune and donated it to the National Park Service. For years, she planted trees along Lewis Street, offered historical tours of the beach, and fought to raise public awareness of the beach and its struggle until her death in September 2005. The American Beach Museum opened in 2014 to memorialize the history of American Beach with her help. The American Beach Museum is dedicated to the founder of American Beach with the name "The A. L. Lewis Museum", for his contributions to the black community in Jacksonville, Florida. The museum, a lifelong dream of MaVynee Betsch, opened its doors to the public on September 6, 2014.Historic district
''American Beach Historic District'' is a United States, U.S. Historic district (United States), historic district in American Beach. It is roughly bounded by Gregg, Lewis, Leonard, Main, and James Streets, and Ocean Boulevard, encompasses approximately , and contains 67 buildings and one structure. On January 28, 2002, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. With .Fictional portrayals
* * ''Sunshine State (film), Sunshine State'', Film directed by John Sayles in 2002.See also
*Bruce's Beach *Butler Beach *Manhattan Beach (Florida) *Paradise Park, FloridaGallery
References
Further reading (most recent first)
* * *Further reading (juvenile)
*External links
* {{authority control African-American history of Florida History of Jacksonville, Florida Unincorporated communities in Nassau County, Florida Beaches of Nassau County, Florida Unincorporated communities in the Jacksonville metropolitan area Populated places established in 1935 Unincorporated communities in Florida Populated coastal places in Florida on the Atlantic Ocean Beaches of Florida Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Florida National Register of Historic Places in Nassau County, Florida Colonial Revival architecture in Florida African-American culture African-American resorts Amelia Island 1935 establishments in Florida African-American history in Jacksonville, Florida