Before passage of the Civil Rights Act, it was not unheard of for Black beaches to be located outside of city limits, thus forcing Black families to walk miles simply to go to the ocean. After the Civil Rights Act desegregated the beaches of Florida in 1964, American Beach as a Black resort became less of a necessity and many African-American Jacksonvillians turned to locations closer to home.
Before the Civil Rights Act, Black beaches were often situated outside city limits, forcing Black families to travel long distances to reach the ocean. After the Civil Rights Act of 1964 desegregated Florida's beaches, American Beach, a Black resort, became less essential, and many African-American Jacksonvillians shifted their beach destinations closer to home.