Racism at American Pools Isn’t New: A Look at a Long History

Racism at American Pools Isn’t New: A Look at a Long History

When a group of white and black integrationists refused to leave a motel swimming pool in St. Augustine, Florida, June 18, 1964, this man dove in and cleared them out. All were arrested.

by a white man in North Carolina; and a black man wearing socks in the water

A plainclothes police officer jumping into a swimming pool to arrest a group of black and white integrationists in a segregated pool at the Monsoon Motor Lodge in Saint Augustine, Florida. June 18th, 1964.

In 1964, several white and black protesters jumped into a pool at the Monson Motor Lodge in St. Augustine, Fla., in what The New York Times described as a “dive-in.” A white police officer in plain clothes later jumped in to arrest them.

The poolside confrontations keep coming.

The encounters, some captured on video, have prompted widespread anger and resulted in consequences for white people involved. But they are hardly new: The United States has a long history of people of color facing harassment and racism at swimming pools.

Pools are supposed to be places to relax, but ever since they exploded in popularity about a century ago, they have served as flash points for racial conflict — vulnerable spaces where prejudices have intensified and violence has often broken out.

“That’s the most intimate thing,” said Greg Carr, chairman of

In 1964, several white and black protesters jumped into a pool at the Monson Motor Lodge in St. Augustine, Fla., in what The New York Times described as a “dive-in.” A white police officer in plain clothes later jumped in to arrest them.

In 1964, several white and black protesters jumped into a pool at the Monson Motor Lodge in St. Augustine, Fla., in what The New York Times described as a “dive-in.” A white police officer in plain clothes later jumped in to arrest them.Credit..

In 1949, a St. Louis official determined the city could no longer segregate pools, concluding that, like other citizens, black residents “have a right to use public property,”

The opposition persisted for a few summers, spreading even to single-sex facilities, according to the book.

At the moment this occurred, 19 rabbis were being arrested next door for their role in promoting civil rights. That was the largest mass arrest of rabbis in American history. The rabbis and the Freedom Riders coordinated the event for maximum publicity. Oddly this demonstration was delayed a day because the black protesters in the pool were brought from Jacksonville because their were no local black protesters who could swim. The Monson was torn down to make room for the very impressive Hilton Renaissance. The hotels pool has an underwater marker dedicated to what happened in the Monson pool. They also have the stone step where MLK Jr was arrested on display in the hotel court yard.

So that line "the hardest mass arrest of rabbis in American history" made me wonder how impressive that statement is and I can't find a single other mention of any form of a mass arrest of rabbis in America. Every single article was this event. Does anyone know what the second place record is, or is just any time a single rabbi has been arrested they're technically joint second?

in America. Every single article was this event. Does anyone know what the second place record is, or is just any time a single rabbi has been arrested they're technically joint second?