A Brief History of Fort Mose State Park
St. Augustine Distillery is proud to sponsor the inaugural Fort Mose Jazz & Blues Series at Fort Mose State Park from February 18-26, 2022.
St. Augustine is home to many firsts, including the first school, first church, and first hospital in what is now the United States. This month, however, we celebrate another St. Augustine first: Fort Mose State Park, home to the first legally sanctioned free Black settlement in our country’s history.
In 1738, over a century before Harriet Tubman helped slaves escape via the Underground Railroad, Fort Mose became a safe haven for slaves escaping English plantations in the Carolinas. Those who made it to Fort Mose were given their freedom in exchange for adopting Catholicism as their religion. It is estimated that over 100 freed slaves made Fort Mose their home, creating a culture that drew from African, Native American, English, and Spanish customs.
Fort Mose also had their own militia, made up of male residents (military service was compulsory for males, along with converting to Catholicism). Led by Captain Francisco Menéndez, the militia fearlessly defended all Fort Mose from any threats, including the Battle of Bloody Mose in 1740.
Sadly, Fort Mose and its residents met a tragic end. In 1763, the Spanish crown ceded all of La Florida to England, ending protection for freed slaves. Many fled to Spanish Cuba, where they would still find protection, but Fort Mose was abandoned and eventually swallowed by the nearby marshes.
In 1994, a team of archaeologists, historians, and government officials began a rehabilitation project at Fort Mose, aiming to restore and preserve it for future generations. Today, nearly 300 years later, it is a recognized historical site within the state park that bears its name, and attracts millions of visitors wishing to learn more about our city’s history.
Introducing the Fort Mose Jazz & Blues Concert Series
“Jazz speaks for life. The Blues tell the story of life’s difficulties, and if you think for a moment, you will realize that they take the hardest realities of life and put them into music, only to come out with some new hope or sense of triumph. This is triumphant music.”
St. Augustine Distillery is proud to partner with Discover Fort Mose to bring some of the world’s most famous jazz and blues musicians to our great city. Across the last two weekends of February, Fort Mose State Park will host five separate concerts featuring the following musicians:
Count Basie Orchestra (dir. Scotty Barnhart)
Friday, February 18
Amythyst Kiah
Saturday, February 19
Gregory Porter
Thursday, February 24
Tank & The Bangas
Friday, February 25
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Saturday, February 26
Proceeds from all shows will support construction of an on-site representation of the original fort, as well as interpretive resources to support all of our guests. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit the Discover Fort Mose official website at the link below.
