Places near me Random place
All the United States Florida St. Augustine Monson Steps
AO Edited

Monson Steps

The site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s arrest as he attempted to have lunch.

St. Augustine, Florida

kfs386 profile photo
Added By
kfs386
Monson Steps   kfs386 / Atlas Obscura User
Monson Steps   kfs386 / Atlas Obscura User
Monson Steps   kfs386 / Atlas Obscura User
Obelisk dedicated to the 1964 arrest of reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and 16 rabbis in support of civil rights   jsbarclay / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was arrested on these steps in 1964.

Charged with trespassing, his "crime" was attempting to join friends for lunch. The Monson Motor Lodge & Restaurant was a "Whites only" establishment. From a jail cell, King wrote to Rabbi Israel Dresner encouraging him to speak out against local injustice.

This was also the scene of an infamous hate crime, when a motel owner poured acid into a swimming pool full of anti-segregationists. Both incidents made national news. Historians say the protests were pivotal in raising awareness of (and garnering support for) the civil rights movement. 

The motel was leveled in 2003, but these steps are preserved as a haunting reminder of past iniquity, and the struggles that still remain.

Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Related Tags

Martin Luther King History & Culture Civil Rights

Know Before You Go

The steps are on the property of the Historic Bayfront Hotel. It's free/open to the public to access the steps. There are plaques located around the location and the steps themselves have yellow paint. 

Community Contributors

kfs386 profile photo

Added By

kfs386

jsbarclay profile photo

Edited By

jsbarclay

Published

February 25, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos

Nearby Places

Explore the Destination Guide

Related Stories and Lists

Related Places

  • 'The Embrace'

    Boston, Massachusetts

    'The Embrace'

    This bronze sculpture was inspired by a photograph of Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife embracing after he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

  • Mary McLeod Bethune Council House

    Washington, D.C.

    Mary McLeod Bethune Council House

    The final residence of an educator, civil rights leader, and presidential advisor was also the first headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women.

  • Mandela House

    Soweto, South Africa

    Mandela House

    Nelson Mandela lived here with his family from 1946 until his arrest in 1962.

  • Emancipation Oak

    Hampton, Virginia

    Emancipation Oak

    This tree is a living witness to the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member

Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member