Charles Tingley

By Courtney Olson

Charles Tingley is the Senior Research Librarian and resident encyclopedic mind at the Saint Augustine Historical Society. His work gives this story a different, broader perspective. While discussing The Civil Rights Movement, specifically, Tingley is distinctly aware of the lack of information the Historical Society houses, and what that means in a wider context. The Historical Society’s research library is home to scores of incredibly important documents from property deeds and marriage licenses to a collection of photographic negatives from the St. Augustine Record, providing safe storage for countless city records that may otherwise be lost to time. However, because of the nature of their collection, we see a massive lack of information on the landmark demonstrations that were happening in Saint Augustine in the 1960’s. 

This is not to say that nothing can be learned from this; in fact, the truth is quite the opposite. If you take a trip to the nation’s oldest city today, you’ll see a series of historical markers, museums, street signs, and monuments proudly displaying our history as a monumental part of The Civil Rights Movement. Looking through the era’s local newspapers, however, a different story can be told. 

The Saint Augustine Historical Society houses all past issues published by the Saint Augustine Record. A researcher who is seeking information on The Civil Rights Movement may expect the publications in this collection to hold a wealth of information on the topic. However, when looking into the collection, it will become evident that the topic of demonstrations and anti-protests would never make the local headlines. 

This speaks to a deeper truth about the tensions of the time: Many locals were determined to forget Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic visit, and the movement altogether. 

A deeper look into the collection at the Historical Society reminds us that the African American population here has an incredibly rich and nuanced history that extends far beyond their monumental involvement in the fight for civil rights. 

Saint Augustine is the location of the nation’s first free Black settlement, which predates the country itself. Fort Mose was home to a thriving African American community which underwent multiple massive structural changes when Florida’s ownership repeatedly changed hands. Because of this, there is a long history of the erosion of civil rights for African Americans leading up to the Civil War in Saint Augustine. This can be detected in the everchanging way that the Black citizens of the town were included in official recording. 

Today Fort Mose is now recognized by UNESCO as a National Historic Landmark, due to the tireless efforts of local historians and activists who fought to honor the land. The town plaza is home to multiple monuments honoring the foot soldiers of the 1960’s, and you can take a drive down Martin Luther King Jr. drive. Saint Augustine now has several museums and cultural centers that celebrate the local African Diaspora, and will soon be the proud home of the Florida Museum of Black History. 

With all of these wonderful places to learn about what once happened here, it is easy to think that the Historical Society has nothing to add to the picture of African American life. However, the perspective that it offers is one of deep value. The stark difference between the amount of information available now and the amount available about The Civil Rights Movement when it was happening shows the incredible efforts of those local people who continued to tell their stories. It reminds us that history can be rewritten if we do not fight to keep our stories alive. 

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