African American Opera Singer becomes an environmentalist when she does everything she can to preserve a favorite childhood beach, American Beach in Jacksonville, FL.
In the times when beaches were segregated, this small beach was created for blacks in 1935.
n the late 1970s, MaVynee Oshun Betsch returned to her native Florida and focused on preserving American Beach. She became a “griot” celebrating the history and legacy of American Beach. Known as “The Beach Lady,” MaVynee was an international opera singer, historian, activist and environmentalist. She was also the great-granddaughter of Abraham Lincoln (A. L.) Lewis, one of the founders of the Afro-American Life Insurance Company and co-founder of American Beach.