Mamie Nell Ford was one of the civil rights protesters at the 1964 St. Augustine “swim-in,” and the motel manager who poured acid into the pool was James Brock. The incident did not seriously injure the protesters, but it became one of the most famous images of the civil rights era.

What happened to James Brock

James Brock was later identified as the Monson Motor Lodge manager who tried to drive the protesters out by pouring muriatic acid into the pool. The action made him infamous, but the search results gathered here do not show a detailed later-life account for him.

What happened to Mamie Nell Ford

Mamie Nell Ford later became known as Mimi Jones, a civil rights activist whose role in the protest was long overlooked. She died in 2020 at age 73.

Why it mattered

The protest at the Monson Motor Lodge became a powerful symbol of segregation and resistance during the civil rights movement. The image of acid being poured into the pool while protesters remained in the water helped draw national attention to the injustice.

TL;DR: James Brock was the motel manager who poured acid into the pool, and Mamie Nell Ford later became Mimi Jones, a respected civil rights activist who died in 2020.