A. L. Lewis Museum

Carole the docent welcomed us enthusiastically and walked us through the highlights of this small museum. It is well designed and packed with the factual history of the area and the namesake of the museum, Abraham Lincoln Lewis. The stories are rich and MaVynee Betsch, "The Beach Lady" steals the show. American Beach is a side of our history that needs to be explored--successful black folk who due to segregation and Jim Crowe laws created their own ocean front community in order to have "recreation and relaxation without humiliation." Limited hours: (as of 10/2024) Fridays and Saturdays 10am-2pm and Sundays 1-5pm. No visit to Fernandina Beach, FL is complete with this important history lesson. Well worth the $10 entry fee

Unfortunately the museum posts that they're open for visitors and hav not been since the pandemic started. So it was a beautiful but wasted trip to drive down and make this area a big part of my vacation adventure. CALL FIRST since every place that has website doesn't always use it to their/your advantage.

American Beach Museum was opened in 2014 after decades of planning and obtaining funds. It has a room that shows thru pictures and artifacts the story of struggle and racism in North Fla. when blacks were banned from most beaches. American Beach was created when A.L.Lewis bought 200 acres of Amelia Island land/beaches for African American for "recreation and relaxation without humiliation" during the era of Jim Crow laws. Though now less then half that size the museum still tells the stories. A.L. Lewis great granddaughter MaVynee Oshun Betsch also called The Beach Lady, spent time, effort and money for this beach and its history. The museum is one of nine sites along the African American Heritage Trail and the reason I was there, was second Sat. of each month they have a American Beach Sankoka African Arts and Culture Market with guest speakers and performers. The Saturday I was there a group of 40 people from Albany, Ga. came to see the museum and experience the place. Apparently people come from all over for these events.