Events Calendar
In local communities across Florida, humanities-rich programming is making a lasting impact in the hearts and minds of Sunshine State residents and visitors alike. Florida Humanities is proud to partner with local community champions to bring you high-quality public programming through Community Project Grants, Florida Talks, Museum on Main Street, and more.
Alert: Some events may be canceled or postponed. We work to ensure that our events calendar remains accurate. We strongly urge you to call the event contact for any program you are interested in to confirm that the event is still planned.
The Magnificent Drama: Martin Luther King in St. Augustine
Leesburg Public Library 100 East Main Street, Leesburg, FLThe civil rights movement in St. Augustine drew national attention when Martin Luther King, Jr. visited twice in 1964, sparking marches, arrests, and clashes between protesters and police on the tourist-lined beaches. Local and national objectives complemented and contradicted each other in ways that affect race relations today and are examined in this presentation. Dr. J. Michael Butler is a Kenan Distinguished Professor of History at Flagler College where he
Charlotte Harbor Book Festival: Finding Your Voice
Military Heritage Museum 900 W Marion Ave, Punta Gorda, FloridaThe Charlotte Harbor Book Festival presents "Finding Your Voice" with author Naomi Pringle. Gray is not an exciting color, but it is the shade books convey when storylines and characters sound alike. Naomi Pringle, author of two creative nonfiction novels, helps authors find their unique voices by crafting unique characters and dialogue. Registration is suggested but not required to attend. Naomi Pringle, author of Ginga Root Tea: An American Journey
Joy and Pain: Black Music of the United States Global Praxis
Orange County Regional History Center 65 E Central Ave, Orlando, FL, United StatesThe Orange County Regional History Center is hosting a talk with Don Harrell, founder and CEO of African Diasporic Arts and Education Inc. and UCF Professor of Africana Studies, in conjunction with the exhibition, Figurehead: Music & Mayhem in Orlando's Underground. Figurehead tells the story of how the musical promotion company helped grow the local scene with a focus on underground rock music and the club circuit. Harrell will talk
African and African-American Contributions to Culture: The African Roots of American Cuisine
Sulphur Springs Museum and Heritage Center 1101 E River Cove St., Tampa, FloridaIn this presentation, Dr. Bireda examines the many contributions enslaved Africans and African Americans have made to American culture. Traditional culture retentions survived the Middle Passage and have influenced present-day American culture. This presentation provides surprising and previously untold facts about the impact of African and African American culture upon American culture as a whole. Registration and admission are not required to attend. Parking is available onsite. This program is
A Musical Journey Through Florida
Stirling Road Branch Library 3151 Stirling Rd, Hollywood, FloridaThis presentation takes audiences on a historical journey through the state, featuring performances of songs covering a wealth of historical events, characters, and folklore with in-depth storytelling about Ponce de Leon's voyage to Florida in 1513, Henry Flagler's building of the Florida's East Coast Railroad, and more. Original songs come from Chris Kahl's Florida-themed albums, Orange Blossom Memories and Sunshine Kid. Chris Kahl is a Florida folk musician and storyteller.
Southern Road to Freedom: Florida’s Underground Railroad
Virtual/OnlineThe nation's first Underground Railroad was established in Florida in the late 17th century, servings as a beacon of freedom for runaway slaves from the American south. Existing before the better-known Northern Underground Railroad, enslaved Africans gained their freedom by escaping and earning asylum in Spanish Florida. This presentation focuses on Florida's early history as a Spanish territory, the escape routes used by runaway slaves, and the black communities they
The Bald Eagle: The Improbable Journey of America’s Bird
Lynn Pippenger Hall 50-378 7th Ave S., St. Petersburg, FloridaThe Florida Studies program at the University of South Florida- St. Petersburg Campus hosts author Jack E. Davis to discuss his award-winning title The Bald Eagle. Americans love bald eagles. But that was not always true. By the end of the nineteenth century, bald eagles were nearly extinct even though the bird was embraced as a symbol of the country. The Bald Eagle is both a cautionary tale of humanity's
The Sound of the Sea: Seashells and the Fate of Oceans
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens 3251 S Miami Ave, Miami, FloridaExplore the human fascination with seashells and their ancient history as global currency, their use as religious and luxury objects, and the remarkable marine mollusks that make them in Ms. Barnett's engaging account of an aspect of nature and culture long hidden in plain sight. Barnett illuminates the beauty and wonder of seashells as well as human ingenuity and scientific solutions they represent for the warming world. Registration and a
EXHIBITION: Life in Pinecraft: A Photographic Exhibition
New College of Florida - College Hall 351 College Dr., Sarasota, FloridaNew College of Florida's Humanities Division is hosting the photographic exhibition "Life in Pinecraft Through the Eyes of Katie Troyer" at College Hall at New College of Florida from March 1 through March 31. Katie Troyer is one of the most beloved personalities in the Pinecraft community. She grew up in an Amish family in Ohio and, after living in various Amish communities in the United States and Canada, she
Florida and Water: A Historical Perspective
Highlands Hammock State Park 5931 Hammock Road, Sebring, FL, United StatesThis presentation chronicles Florida's long and difficult relationship with water. Dr. Steve Noll examines attempts to turn water into land and land into water throughout Florida's history, including contentious water-related issues like the potential restoration of the Everglades, the battle over the Ocklawaha River, the degradation of north Florida's iconic springs, and more. Steve Noll is a master lecturer in the University of Florida's history department, where received his PhD
SOLD OUT! Tarpon Springs Gathering 2023
Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks 735 Dodecanese Boulevard, Tarpon Springs, FloridaNamed after the fish that can be found in abundance off shore, Tarpon Springs is home to one of the largest Greek communities in the United States. The "Sponge Capital of the World" has been fundamentally influenced by water and possesses a rich Gulf Coast heritage. From March 3-4, 2023 join Florida Humanities as we travel to Tarpon Springs to soak up the fascinating history and culture of this waterfront
Coffee & Conversations: Dance Music in Central Florida
Orange County Regional History Center 65 E Central Ave, Orlando, FL, United StatesThe Orange County Regional History Center is hosting a curator talk with Jeremy Hileman, History Center assistant curator, and longtime Orlando DJ and club owner John Gardner (Faith in Physics, Beach Club, Barbarella, Independent Bar) for a special tour of the latest exhibition, "Figurehead: Music & Mayhem in Orlando's Underground." Figurehead tells the story of how the musical promotion company helped grow the local scene with a focus on underground
One Nation Under God: Religion’s Impact on the United States: Religious Freedom in America with Ken Wald, PhD
Virtual/OnlineThe Jewish Council of North Central Florida host Ken Wald, PhD, for a lecture on religious freedom in America as part of their series One Nation Under God: Religion's Impact on the United States. This lecture examines how the American founders created a system to guarantee religious freedom via the First Amendment clauses. Wald has written about the relationship of religion and politics in the United States, Great Britain, and
The Island Imprint: The Indelible Impact of the Caribbean Diaspora on America
Florida SouthWestern State College 8099 College Parkway, Fort Myers, FL, United StatesFlorida Southwestern State College hosts two lectures by Calibe Thompson and David Muir from the Island SPACE Caribbean Museum to discuss the long-standing ties between Florida and peoples from the Caribbean archipelago. Thompson discusses the history and impact of the Caribbean community in the United States. Muir presents a lecture on his book Pieces of Jamaica, a photo-art collection that celebrates his native island from an authentic viewpoint. A book
Why does Falstaff appeal to artists creating adaptations of Shakespeare’s work?
Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach 411 Clematis St, West Palm Beach, FloridaThe Palm Beach Opera hosts a panel discussion with Francesco Izzo and Susan Jones to explore the appeal and challenges of adapting Shakespeare's recurring character to an operatic idiom in Giuseppe Verdi's Falstaff in conjunction with their 2023 production. This program is funded in part through a Florida Humanities Community Project Grant in partnership with the Palm Beach Opera. The library provides parking vouchers to cover the first two hours
Spike the Punch
IPC ArtSpace 225 NE 59th St, Miami, FloridaThe Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab at Florida International University presents Spike the Punch, a series of film screenings and discussions. This series, in collaboration with Iris PhotoCollective, celebrates the art and meanings of Spike Lee's early films Do the Right Thing (1989), She's Gotta Have It (1986), and Malcolm X (1992). Schedule of Events: Friday, March 10 6-8 PM: "Defiance: Past. Present. Future.": A discussion between Dr. Tameka Hobbs, AARLCC
History of Fishing in Ponce Inlet, Florida
Anderson-Price Memorial Building 42 N Beach Street, Ormond Beach, FL, United StatesThe Ormond Beach Historical Society is hosting their 2022-2023 live Speaker Series program. The ninth lecture shares the history of fishing in Ponce Inlet. From the Timucuan Indians to the modern-day fleet and conservation efforts, Chad Macfie shares the stories and pictures from the families, fishermen, and locals who created the backbone of Ponce Inlet as it is known today. Chad Macfie started his career at the Florida Museum of
Amazing Florida Women: More Than Orange Blossoms: The Feisty, Fabulous Females of Florida
Lake Wales Public Library - Schoenoff Meeting Room 290 Cypress Garden Lane, Lake Wales, FloridaThough not always in the history books, the women who helped build, form, shape, and develop the state have inspired hope and possibility. Stories of strong, courageous women like Julia Tuttle, known as the Mother of Miami, or Mary McCleod Bethune, daughter of enslaved parents who went on to become an advisor to several US presidents, and other brave women who influenced and impacted their communities, Florida, and the nation.
Southern Road to Freedom: Florida’s Underground Ra
Leesburg Public Library 100 East Main Street, Leesburg, FLThe nation's first Underground Railroad was established in Florida in the late 17th century, servings as a beacon of freedom for runaway slaves from the American South. Existing before the better-known Northern Underground Railroad, enslaved Africans gained their freedom by escaping and earning asylum in Spanish Florida. This presentation focuses on Florida's early history as a Spanish territory, the escape routes used by runaway slaves, and the black communities they
The Fighting Baileys: Florida’s Black Military Experience
Port Charlotte Library 2280 Aaron St, Port Charlotte, FloridaDuring World War II and Korean War, seven brothers from a black Punta Gorda family served overseas. Yet, the family received no acclaim for over fifty years for their exploits. From a high-flying Tuskegee airman to a grunt in the Red Ball Express, the Bailey brothers' struggles in a Jim Crow south speak to the hidden and ongoing struggle to accord black Americans in their place in the military. The
