PRESS RELEASE: August 14, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Andrew Quintana, Communications Manager
aquintana@flahum.org | 727-873-2003
Oct. 18 ceremony at the Tampa Bay History Center celebrates legendary Floridians who helped tell the state’s cultural story.
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (August 14, 2025) — Legendary historian and writer Dr. Gary R. Mormino will headline a class of iconic Florida figures at the first-ever Florida Humanities Hall of Fame. The first induction ceremony will take place Saturday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. at the Tampa Bay History Center in Tampa.
The Florida Humanities Hall of Fame honors those who have made a significant contribution to the humanities in Florida. No matter the discipline or background, the men and women recognized in this ceremony have helped promote or preserve the Florida stories that give a better understanding of the many communities that make up the Sunshine State.
During the inaugural event, friends and colleagues of Mormino will reflect on his illustrious career while also paying tribute to other Florida legends who will join him in the Hall of Fame.
2025 Florida Humanities Hall of Fame Inductees
- Gary R. Mormino – Historian, educator, author
- Zora Neale Hurston – Author, anthropologist, folklorist
- Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings – Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist
- Mary McLeod Bethune — Educator, civil rights activist
- Michael V. Gannon – Historian, author
- James Weldon Johnson – Author, educator, civil rights leader
- David Colburn – Professor, historian
“The Florida Humanities Hall of Fame is more than a ceremony,” says Florida Humanities Executive Director Nashid Madyun. “It’s a declaration that our state’s cultural memory matters. By celebrating these legends, we ensure that Florida’s story is told with depth, dignity, and truth for generations to come.”
A hero of the humanities for nearly five decades, Mormino has spent his career telling the true story of Florida. He’s written six books whose topics span from Florida immigration to 21st-century state politics. But, above all, Mormino has been a passionate educator. His commitment to uncovering Florida’s rich history led him to co-found the University of South Florida’s Florida Studies Program in 2002. Mormino’s teaching has inspired and influenced thousands of students, while his mentorship has encouraged several notable politicians, historians and writers.
“I am humbled,” says Gary Mormino. “I adore Florida Humanities’ work, and I don’t think there’s another nonprofit that does such noble work.”
“Dr. Mormino is a beloved professor and lecturer, an award-winning author, a prolific newspaper columnist and the most approachable scholar I’ve ever known,” says former Florida Humanities Executive Director Steve Seibert. “He is that rare academic who sees and shares the great sweeps of history. He tells us many things we do not know and provides perspectives no one else has.”
A cocktail reception will take place at 6 p.m. on the Upper Terrace of the Columbia Cafe, preceding the ceremony at Teco Hall inside the museum.
For more information on the Florida Humanities Hall of Fame and to register, visit Floridahumanities.org/HOF.
About Florida Humanities
Florida Humanities, the statewide, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and sharing the history, literature, cultures, and personal stories that offer Floridians a better understanding of themselves, their communities, and their state. Since 1973, Florida Humanities has awarded more than $20 million in support of statewide cultural resources and public programs strongly rooted in the humanities. These programs preserve Florida’s diverse history and heritage, promote civic engagement and community dialogue, and provide opportunities to reflect on the future of Florida. Learn more at www.FloridaHumanities.org
