Ceramic Mug 15oz (FORT MOSE)

Fort Mose, originally known as Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose, was a significant historical site located in St. Augustine, Florida. Established in 1738 by the Spanish governor of Florida, Manuel de Montiano, it was the first legally sanctioned free Black settlement in what would become the United States.

Fort Mose served as a sanctuary for Africans escaping slavery from the English colonies. The Spanish offered freedom to those who reached the fort, provided they converted to Catholicism and served in the colonial militia. The community at Fort Mose played a crucial role in defending Spanish Florida from outside incursions.

Today, Fort Mose is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and is preserved as Fort Mose Historic State Park, which includes a visitor center and museum. The site is an important part of African American history and heritage.