Murray High School Walk Out

March 31st, 1964 started as a calm day in St. Augustine. Clear skies, busy roads, and students off to school. But students at Richard J. Murray High School (now R.J. Murray Middle School) had a different plan in mind—to protest for equal rights. Their actions were encouraged by a group of college students, faculty, and clergy from the Massachussetts branch of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference who had come to help the local civil rights movement during Easter weekend.

In the days between, students sang freedom songs on their way to school, in between classes, and even in the gym. They united in their desire for equality and justice for African Americans. On March 31st, more than one hundred students marched from their school to downtown where they entered the Ponce de Leon Hotel (now Flagler College), from which they were promptly removed.

Pictured at left are police officers in front of the students outside of Ponce Hotel. Notice the expressions on the students' faces as they shout, most likely frustrated that their march could not move forward. The white officer at center can be seen with his police K-9 behind which a black male stands with his hands together and a look of fear as the K-9 walks close by.

The second photograph shows two police officers breaking up the demonstration by grabbing a man from the crowd. The dog on the right, ready to strike if need be. When police gave the students the choice to return to their homes or school, many chose to be arrested instead.

Here police are escorting the Murray High students to jail. The students are clapping, most likely singing freedom songs while a police K-9 walks side to side, keeping the students organized. Another K-9 can be seen on the far right side on the image, suggesting that there is more than one cop on the scene.

On April 1st, 1964 at 2:00pm, a special meeting was held on the behavior if the students who walked out and were arrested. Rumours held they might all be expelled, yet administration feared that would cause more walk outs and protests from the student body. The report from the meeting blamed the northern visitors of the SCLC for organizing the students.