ACCORD Civil Rights Museum & Freedom Trail

A group of local civil rights activists founded ACCORD in 2002, with an eye on the upcoming 40th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. They chose a name reflecting that moment: "Anniversary to Commemorate the Civil Rights Demonstrations." The organization's goal is to educate the public about the local and visiting activists who fought for civil rights in St. Augustine. 

The ACCORD Civil Rights Museum

In 2014, the organization founded the first civil rights museum in Florida, in a small building at 79 Bridge Street, which had housed Dr. Robert B. Hayling's dental practice. Dr. Hayling, then retired, served as an advisor for the museum and its collection of materials. 

The museum is open to the public on Tuesday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The ACCORD Freedom Trail Project, and its cell phone audio tour, consists of 31 historic markers located at significant sites throughout St. Augustine. ACCORD Freedom Trail brochures and maps are available at the Visitor Information Center—all of the historic markers on the self-guided trail are prominent in the brochure.

Freedom Trail

The Freedom Trail was launched in 2007, with nine plaques commemorating important Civil Rights Movement locations. Eleven additional plaques were added in 2008 and 2009. Now there are more than 31 commemorative markers with descriptions throughout St. Augustine.

You can find a list of the markers here. 

To Learn More

To learn more about the museum and jump-start your tour, visit our Black history section and read our article, "Black History Museums in St. Augustine."