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Okaloosa County BOCC — June 25, 2015 — I. c. John C. Beasley State Park — reading text
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Fort Walton Beach over the past two years to develop an
area for the Negroes to use.”
• 2 Jun 1959, Florida Parks Board approved expenditure of $14,400 for “immediate construction” of a Negro Park
on Okaloosa Island.
• 19 Mar 1960, Dedication of John C. Beasley State Park for Negroes. Program arranged by the Indian Mound Elks
Lodge # 1205. Parade began at 10 AM and included bands from Washington Junior High of Pensacola and Carver-
Hill School of Crestview, and participation of students from Brooks Elementary School in Ft. Walton Beach.
• 1960 Andrew Hill appointed as Park Ranger
• 1964-65 John C. Beasley State Park desegregated; Ranger Hill retired from the Florida Park Service; Racial
Segregation ended and all people regardless of race were welcome at any Florida State Park.
• 27 May 1976 Park transferred from the State of Florida to Okaloosa County
17
6/19/2015
Acknowledgements
• Access to Playground News Microfilm -- NWFSC Librarians
Steve Fielding and Debbie Hull
• Access to Eglin Eagle hard copies – Eglin AFB History Office
• Help with State Archives – Lora Glass, Niceville Public Library
• Information on John C. Beasley – NWFL Daily News Librarian
Linda Murchison and Reporter Lauren Reinlie
• Transfer Date State to County – Amy Allen, Parks Coordinator,
Okaloosa County
• Updated Information on “Florida’s Segregated State Parks” –
Author Phillip Werndli
• Pictures – Carver-Hill Museum in Crestview
• Artist Rendition – Napoleon Wiggins
• Pictures, Memories, and Passion – Daisy Hill Wiggins
John C. Beasley State Park
1960 - 1965
Questions?
18
PROPOSED
LANGUAGE
FOR
MONUMENT
or
PLAQUE
For
JOHN
C.
BEASLEY
STATE
PARK
COMMEMORATION
Part
B
Option
1
Preferred
choice
for
monument
or
plaque
would
contain
three
pictures
to
include
the
Artist
Rendition
of
the
Park
to
include
the
sign
that
says
“For
Colored
Only”,
the
picture
from
the
briefing
of
the
three
toddlers/young
girls
on
the
beach,
and
the
picture
of
Ranger
Hill.
Additionally
we
would
like
the
prose
information
AND
the
time
line
information
on
the
plaque.
(See
Atch
15)
Option
2
Because
the
Historical
Resources
website
implies
historical
markers
in
Florida
have
a
set
format,
we
would
propose
using
that
format
with
the
prose
description
on
one
side
and
the
timeline
on
the
other.
In
that
case,
perhaps
the
pictures
from
Option
1
could
be
placed
on
site.
(See
Atch
16)
Proposed
language
is
on
the
next
page.
Plaque
for
John
C.
Beasley
State
Park
Created
out
of
the
frustrations
of
racial
segregation,
John
C.
Beasley
State
Park
was
opened
in
1960
as
an
area
“For
Colored
Only”
as
the
sign
at
the
gated
entrance
on
US
Highway
98
read.
The
Park
was
the
result
of
efforts
of
members
of
the
Negro
community
and
the
Commanders
of
nearby
Eglin
AFB
and
Hurlburt
Field.
No
Negro,
either
local
or
military,
could
go
to
nearby
Newman
Brackin
Wayside
Park
or
to
any
other
area
beach
to
enjoy
the
beauty
of
the
Playground
Area.
Named
for
John
C.
Beasley,
an
active
and
unselfish
recently
deceased
white
member
of
the
community,
the
Park’s
first
Ranger
was
Andrew
Hill.
Ranger
Hill
had
been
a
resident
of
Ft
Walton
Beach
since
1940,
living,
working,
and
worshipping
with
the
majority
of
those
who
used
the
Park.
He
was
friendly
and
outgoing
and
made
the
park
a
safe
and
exciting
place
to
visit.
Being
the
only
place
for
Negroes
to
safely
congregate,
the
park
became
a
haven
for
them
to
visit,
enjoy
the
beach,
and
glory
in
a
place
built
just
for
them.
Time
Line
(Also
to
be
included
on
Plaque)
1957
-‐
1958
–
Creation
of
a
State
Park
for
Negroes
discussed
within
the
community.
May
1959
–
Chamber
of
Commerce
agrees
to
write
senators
and
representatives
asking
for
support
to
build
a
Negro
Park
on
Okaloosa
County
Beaches.
28
May
1959,
Playground
News:
“…the
Negro
population
of
Okaloosa
County
has
no
beach
area
of
their
own.
Efforts
have
been
made
by
the
chamber
and
the
City
of
Fort
Walton
Beach
over
the
past
two
years
to
develop
an
area
for
the
Negroes
to
use.”
2
Jun
1959,
Florida
Parks
Board
approved
expenditure
of
$14,400
for
“immediate
construction”
of
a
Negro
Park
on
Okaloosa
Island.
19
Mar
1960,
Dedication
of
John
C.
Beasley
State
Park
for
Negroes.
Program
arranged
by
the
Indian
Mound
Elks
Lodge
#
1205.
Parade
began
at
10
AM
and
included
bands
from
Washington
Junior
High
of
Pensacola
and
Carver-‐Hill
School
of
Crestview,
and
participation
of
students
from
Brooks
Elementary
School
in
Ft.
Walton
Beach.
1960
Andrew
Hill
appointed
as
Park
Ranger
1964
-‐
65
John
C.
Beasley
State
Park
desegregated;
Ranger
Hill
retired
from
the
Florida
Park
Service;
Racial
Segregation
ended
and
all
people
regardless
of
race
were
welcome
at
any
Florida
State
Park.
27
May
1976
Park
transferred
from
the
State
of
Florida
to
Okaloosa
County