Fort Mose concert series, now in fifth year, honors Black Catholic history in nation's oldest city

The Fort Mose Jazz and Blues Series will return this year to the nation’s oldest city—St. Augustine, Florida—bringing Grammy Award-winning artists to the grounds of a former Catholic fort that helped kickstart Black history in the United States.

The annual event will take place over two weekends, Feb. 6-7 and 13-15, with a portion of proceeds going to the Fort Mose Historical Society, which promotes the history and legacy of the original Spanish fort. It was founded in 1738 and is recognized as the first free Black settlement in what would become the United States.

A Fort Mose replica was completed in May 2025 and sits near where the artists will play in Fort Mose Historic State Park, including the Catholic-raised R&B singer Ledisi on opening night, followed by guitarist and singer Gary Clark Jr. on Saturday.

The second weekend will feature the Robert Cray Band and Ruthie Foster on Friday, Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble on Saturday, and a closeout performance on Sunday from jazz singer Samara Joy.

“The 2026 series continues the tradition of blending rich history with the vibrant sounds of jazz and blues on historic grounds, featuring an extraordinary lineup of internationally renowned artists,” the organizers said in a promotional statement.

Located just north of central St. Augustine, Fort Mose Historic State Park has hosted the Jazz and Blues Series during Black History Month since 2022, when St. Johns County moved to promote knowledge of the historic fort in partnership with local entities in Northeast Florida.

From that idea came partnerships with FMHS, the St. Augustine civic government, the Florida State Parks Foundation, and local vendors, bringing the annual series to life. This year’s sponsors include St. Augustine Distillery, Sunbelt Rentals, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors & Convention Bureau, and Jalaram Hotels, among others.

The FMHS, which benefits from ticket sales, hosts its own events throughout the year—including a monthly militia muster, reenacting activities of the all-Black regiment that once guarded Fort Mose and Spanish Florida’s northern border; the “Flight to Freedom,” honoring those who fled slavery in other colonies to safe harbor under Spanish rule at Fort Mose; founder’s day in late March; and the 1740 Battle of Bloody Mose, which recaptured the fort from British invaders.

St. Augustine—from which Fort Mose branched off—was founded by Spanish settlers in 1565, including a number of free and enslaved Black Catholics. The FMHS was founded in 1996 to preserve the history of the fort and its importance to both Black and Florida history. As of early 2025, the Jazz and Blues Series had raised more than $129,000 for preservation efforts led by the historical society. 

Tickets for this year’s shows are sold individually and are available online as well as at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre box office on Anastasia Island. Children aged two and under receive free admission.

Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.

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