Integrationists Conduct “Wade-In” at St. Augustine Beach

June 29, 1964 - With heavy protection from the state police, Negro and white civil rights demonstrators made two successful sorties into the white preserves of St. Augustine, Fla., today.

This morning, led by three Baptist ministers, they conducted a wade-in at the St. Augustine beach.

Tonight, about 100 integrationists marched past the old slave market in the Plaza, where a crowd of white segregationists howled taunts and threats.

The segregationist crowd had been listening to the nightly harangue of the Rev. Connie Lynch, a West Coast racist agitator.

The crowd was in an ugly mood and responded to shouts of “here come the n*****s” by racing across the Plaza toward the oncoming marchers, emitting rebel yells.

By this time, police protection was ample. The mob made no attempt to break police lines as it had last Thursday in a major riot in which several state policemen were beaten.

Part of the mob tried to follow the Negroes back to the Negro quarter but were halted by a line of police. Meanwhile, back at the slave market, the mob caught sight of a truck driven by a Negro.

“Get that n****r,” a woman shouted, and the mob took off down the street. The truck driver sped off.

In the morning wade-in, the three Baptist ministers led 40 Negro and white demonstrators into the surf at St. Augustine Beach under a heavy state police guard.

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