In 1693 King Charles II of Spain decreed runaway slaves were to be given sanctuary in his colonies. Black fugitives from the British Colonies made their way south and fought against a British attack on St. Augustine. In 1728 the territorial governor abolished the slave market and freed any remaining soldiers who were slaves. Ten years later Governor Manuel de Montiano established Fort Mose as the first free black settlement in North America and the northernmost outpost protecting the capital of Spanish Florida, St. Augustine.

Spain encouraged enslaved Africans to flee English settlements in the Carolinas. Fort Mose, which included a village, was a diverse community made up of people from widely varied backgrounds: Nandingos, Mandingos, Congos, Carabalis, Minas, Gambas, Lecumis, Sambas, Gangas, Araras, and Guineans. When Spain ceded Florida to Britain in 1763, the inhabitants of Fort Mose migrated to Cuba, and for more than 175 years the remains of this first free black town lay forgotten in a salt marsh north of St. Augustine.

In 1986 an archaeological excavation led to the discovery of the location of the site. Although nothing above ground remains of the fort, this National Historic Landmark site is a tangible reminder of the people who risked and often lost their lives in their struggle to attain freedom. Visitors may view the site from a boardwalk, have a picnic in a covered pavilion, or stop in the Visitor Center.

Information provided by Florida Department of State.