Featured image above: District of Columbia. Company E, 4th U.S. Colored Infantry, at Fort Lincoln; photo courtesy: Library of Congress

Florida Humanities has awarded $84,100 in Community Project Grants to 12 cultural organizations across the Sunshine State to support bold and impactful public humanities programming. Funded projects include a community festival that celebrates the story of the Black Seminole settlement “Angola” to a film series to exploring life after the Holocaust to lectures and interpretive trail signs focused on the history of marine conservation.

Community Project Grants provide up to $10,000 in funding to nonprofits and public institutions that develop humanities-rich public programs that aim to promote civic engagement and community dialogue and provide communities the opportunity to reflect on the future of their state.

The newly awarded grants are listed below:

Broward Public Library Foundation (Broward) – $8,100
“Broward County Library: Scholars Speaker Series”
Broward County Library will create a Scholars Speaker’s Series, developed in celebration of the library’s 50th Anniversary, that focuses on challenging issues facing Broward County.

Thinking Cap Theatre (Broward) – $7,500
“Loving to Learn: A Cross-Cultural, Interdisciplinary Celebration of Playwright María Irene Fornés”
Thinking Cap Theatre (TCT) will organize a series a cross-cultural, interdisciplinary humanities program that illuminates the life, work, and embodied methodologies of Cuban American Playwright Maria Irene Fornes.

Sebring Historical Society (Highlands) – $5,000
“Pioneer Daze”
The Sebring Historical Society is hosting an inaugural family-focused event, “Pioneer Daze,” to promote the preservation of the founding of Sebring and surrounding Highlands County.

Jefferson County Historical Association (Jefferson) – $5,000
“Who We Were”
Jefferson County Historical Association is kicking off a multi-year series that will share and preserve the stories of local historic families in Jefferson County.

Southside Redevelopment Advisory Council (Leon) – $2,500
“Movies That Make a Difference”
The Southside Redevelopment Advisory Council will organize a film series to explore life after the Holocaust, the revenge that some survivors sought, and Holocaust denial.

Oaktree Community Outreach (Manatee) – $10,000
“Back to Angola Festival 2023”
Oaktree Community Outreach will organize “Back to Angola,” a community festival that celebrates, pays homage to, and disseminates the story of the Black Seminole settlement “Angola,” its history, inhabitants, and the resilience of its descendants.

Reflections of Manatee (Manatee) – $7,000
“The Battle for Freedom: United States Colored Troops and the Occupation of Manatee”
Reflections of Manatee will create an exhibit, living history event, and lecture series that explores the history of the Civil War in Manatee and the role of the 2nd Infantry Regiment United States Colored Troops.

The Alliance for Florida’s National Parks (Miami Dade) – $8,500
“Swamp Heritage Festival: A Celebration of History, Culture and Community”
Big Cypress National Preserve will organize the Swamp Heritage Festival is to spotlight the inhabitants of early South Florida, whose rugged strength and pioneering spirit contributed to shaping today’s unique and diverse culture.

Reef Environmental Education Foundation (Monroe) – $10,000
“Blue Humanities: Community Conversations of Marine Conservation in Florida”
Reef Environmental Education Foundation will highlight the human role in the past, present, and future of marine conservation through a lens of cultural, artistic, and historical perspectives in a series of lectures and the creation of interpretive trail signs.

Historical Society of Central Florida (Orange) – $10,000
“Honoring Central Florida’s Diverse Heritage, Arts & Culture”
The Historical Society of Central Florida will create a year-long community programming series that explores the diversity of heritage, art, and culture in Central Florida.

Delray Beach Public Library (Palm Beach) – $3,500
“Stories of Exile”
Delray Beach Public Library will organize two public programs to complement their “Stories of Exile” reading and discussion program.

Pioneer Florida Museum & Village (Pasco) – $7,000
“Florida Territory!- A Living Event Depicting Florida History Prior to 1845”
The Pioneer Florida Museum & Village will organize a community festival featuring authors, artists, and experts to portray Florida history from pre-history to statehood in 1845.

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Questions? Please contact:
Grants Department
[email protected]