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 located outside city limits, forcing Black families to travel long distances to reach the ocean. After the 1964 desegregation of Florida's beaches, American Beach, a Black resort, became less necessary, and many African-Americans in Jacksonville chose closer beach destinations.