Save Historic American Beach
We have a collective commitment to preserve the quality of life on Historic American Beach. Not just for our families but for every family and the wildlife that makes its home here. Your support and involvement now will help ensure a thriving future for the ecosystem we love.
What We are Fighting For
Loggerhead
Green
Sea Turtles
The beaches of northeast Florida are considered an important nesting area for the Loggerhead (Caretta caretta), Green (Chelonia mydas) and Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles. These ancient creatures are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and their populations are in decline (see the Red List of threatened species). Unlike on the beaches in front of neighboring resorts of the Ritz Carlton and the Omni, Nassau County permits vehicular driving on American Beach. This policy poses an immediate threat to the endangered sea turtle species who nest here. Nests are smothered. Hatchlings get caught in the deep ruts caused by heavy vehicles driving over soft sand, and are unable to make their way to the ocean. They are crushed under the wheels.
Who We Are
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.
Save Historic American Beach, Inc. is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization comprised of residents, property owners and community members committed to preserving the safety, natural beauty, resiliency, and fragile ecology of historic American Beach in Nassau County, Florida.
We are especially concerned about the damage beach driving causes and the threats it poses to the protected and endangered sea turtles that rely on our dunes and beaches to survive.
We Need Your Support
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Donate
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Volunteer
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Write to Your County Commissioners
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Share Our Campaign with Your Friends and Family
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Donate
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Volunteer
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Write to Your County Commissioner
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Share Our Campaign with Your Friends and Family
Contact Us
Make an Impact! Join the Campaign
Preserve the Dunes
Dunes protect residents, visitors, homes and historic structures from storm surge and rising tides.
Protect the Turtles
Turtles don't stand a chance against a car or SUV.
What We Hope to Accomplish
About American Beach
Recreation and relaxation without humiliation
In the 1900s, African Americans sought to escape the stress of segregation by retreating to “Black Beach” communities such as Manhattan Beach and Butler Beach. A.L. Lewis, President of the Afro-American Life Insurance Company (the Afro) and a self-made millionaire, wanted to create an oceanfront resort where African Americans could enjoy “recreation and relaxation without humiliation” during the Jim Crow era.
On January 31, 1935, A.L. Lewis and the Afro’s Pension Bureau co-founded and opened 33 acres of land north of Franklintown on North Florida’s Amelia Island. Two subsequent purchases brought the size of the new community to 216 acres. A. L. Lewis called the resort community “American Beach.”
Over the next three decades, the American Beach resort became a sought-after destination for celebrities, local residents and visitors alike. African Americans traveled to American Beach from across the southeast to enjoy this “Negro Ocean Playground.” In 1964, the landscape changed dramatically when Hurricane Dora devastated American Beach, leaving homes and businesses in ruins. While some homes and businesses were rebuilt, American Beach lost some of its land and establishments to decay. In 2002, American Beach was listed as a historic site on the National Register of Historic Places. In recent years, existing and new residents of increasing diversity have sparked renewal and redevelopment of the Historic American Beach community.