2-835-457 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

The 'Negro Ocean Playground' at American Beach, near Jacksonville, Florida, was a place where African-Americans could enjoy 'Recreation and Relaxation Without Humiliation'. At a time when Black people were banned from beaches due to segregation and Jim Crow laws, the 'Negro Ocean Playground' was created in defiance of the status quo. Its hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and businesses hosted numerous celebrities including: Zora Neale Hurston, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Hank Aaron and Ozzie Davis. A fan made of ink on paper board with a wood handle. The front of the fan features an image of children getting ready to go swimming, with the line: 'Last one in's a nigger'. The back of the fan (side that the handle is attached to) has printed text with information about the beach, an American Beach logo, and images of beach balls.