Please join Friends as we explore a chapter in the history of Northeast Florida. Mr. Yuwnus Asami, Curator of The American Beach Museum, will tell the story of this historic district and museum on Amelia Island. The American Beach community was established in 1935 by A.L. Lewis, President of the Afro American Life Insurance Company, and designated as a historic site in 2001. The American Beach Museum “remembers the historic African American journey of vision, struggle, joy and triumph and celebrates the preservation of this historic site… for ‘recreation and relaxation without humiliation’ during the era of Jim Crow. American Beach was also a place of hope in an era of despair.” Museum Curator Asami will share the history of this community, which hosted numerous celebrities, including Zora Neale Hurston, Cab Calloway and Ray Charles, and tell guests about “Beach Lady” Ma Vynee Betsch, great-granddaughter of A.L. Lewis, co-founder of the Abraham Lincoln Lewis Historical Society, and champion for the preservation of the area.

Patrons of the program are welcome to bring their lunch. Refreshments will be provided. Reservations are required to guarantee seating and can be made in person or by calling the Main Library reference desk at the number listed. For additional information, contact Friends President Toni Siriani, toni825@hotmail.com.