Over the past thirty years, Craig Pittman has written thousands of stories and columns about "The Most Interesting State." In this presentation based on 51 of these stories, he shows off the glorious weirdness of his native state. Stories of mermaids, con men, fugitives, gator wrasslers, death row inmates, iguanas, tattooed ladies, python hunters, and more are covered in this illustrated and lively presentation about Florida men, Florida women, and

New College of Florida Humanities Division is hosting a discussion with photographer Katie Troyer in conversation with JB Miller in conjunction with the exhibition "Life in Pinecraft Through the Eyes of Katie Troyer," open to the public at the Carlisle Inn from February 7th through February 24th. Troyer and Miller will discuss her early years, struggles as a young Amish woman in Ohio, the role that photography has played in

Florida's schoolchildren chose the panther as the state animal, and a decade later it nearly went extinct. But a ragtag band-some scientists, a veterinarian, and a veteran hunter-banded together to pull off a risky experiment to save them. Craig Pittman is a native Floridian. Born in Pensacola, he graduated from Troy State University in Alabama, where his muckraking work for the student paper prompted an agitated dean to label him

New College of Florida's Humanities division hosts a lecture with JB Miller in coordination with their photographic exhibit Life in Pinecraft on view through February 24 at the Carlisle Inn. Today, Pinecraft is a unique enclave and a popular winter-time destination for Amish and conservative Mennonites in the United States. JB Miller, a Mennonite who grew up in the Pinecraft community, shares his knowledge of the history of the community

ReadOut 2023 kicks off with literary icons Radclyffe and Ann McMan with a retrospective of lesbian and feminist publishing past, present, and future. The conversation is facilitated by award-winning humorist Fay Jacobs. Radclyffe is a retired surgeon whose 50+ novels have earned more than 25 awards from Lambda Literary, Golden Crown Literary Society, and other writers' associations. She is the president of Bold Strokes Books, one of the world's largest

ReadOut 2023 and the LGBTQ Resource Center of the Gulfport Library presents authors Rob Sanders and Sarah Prager in conversation about LGBTQ literature for middle grade and young adult readers. Rob Sanders has written 17 funny and fierce books and is recognized as a pioneer in LGBTQIA+ nonfiction picture books. Blook Brothers, released in July 2022, is his first middle-grade novel, written in powerful, raw verse. Sarah Prager is dedicated

Florida has a relationship with Africans and the Diaspora unlike any other state. This presentation chronologically examines this relationship beginning in the sixteenth century through the present day and provides a broad overview of the African Diaspora experience in Florida, highlighting both the pitfalls and the triumphs within Florida history. Registration and admission are not required to attend. Dr. Dixon is the President of Archival and Historical Research Associated and

ReadOut 2023 and the LGBTQ Resource Center of Gulfport Library hosts authors and poets Gloria Munoz, Sheree L Greer, and Sander Santiago with moderator Jenny Boyer for a conversation about the intersection of LGBTQ identity and poetry. Gloria Munoz is a Colombian American writer, an advocate for multilingual literacy and writing, and St. Petersburg's new Poet Laureate. Her poetry collection Danzirly/Dawn's Early was awarded the Academy of American Poets 2019

ReadOut 2023 and the LGBTQ Resource Center of the Gulfport Public Library presents this panel, featuring six award-winning authors discussing the secrets to writing mystery and suspense stories that keep readers turning the page. Becky Bohan is the author of the 2020 award-winning novel, A Light on Altered Land. Her 2022 novel, The Santorini Setup, won a Royal Palm Literary Award and a Global Book Award. Penny Mickelbury's many books

ReadOut 2023 presents Sunday keynote speaker author Briam Broome, winner of the 2021 Kirkus Prize for nonfiction. Broome's memoir Punch Me Up to the Gods recounts growing up poor, dark-skinned, and gay in rural Ohio. His essays explore the pressures and vulnerabilities confronting black boys and how he used his personal experiences to create the person he has become. Funding for this event is provided in part through a Florida

ReadOut 2023 and the LGBTQ Resource Center of Gulfport Public Library present Memoir: Growing Into My Self. Three award-winning authors describe their personal accounts of growing into their identities as LGBTQ people and how it integrates into their work and life. Robee Berry (she/her) is a writer, adventurer and activist. For decades the story of The Pink Divide protagonist, Lake Myers, lived in her head until the auspicious day when

ReadOut 2023 and the LGBTQ Resource Center at the Gulfport Public Library presents a lecture and discussion with author Sheree L Greer about her experience being an author. . Sheree is a writer, artist, teacher, and publisher living in Tampa, Florida. In 2014, she founded The Kitchen Table Literary Arts Center to showcase and support the work of Black women and women of color writers. She is the author of

In 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. This presentation focuses on contributions to medicine, health, and wellness. Registration is required to attend,

This presentation introduces audiences to a variety of Florida Seminole portraits from the nineteenth century and how the portraits were used as propaganda to represent the Seminoles as a dying people. "Seminole Portraits: Reflections Across Time" challenges this long-held belief to explore changing perspectives of Native Americans and the Florida Seminole. With a focus on portraiture over time, the rich history and continued vitality of the Florida Seminole will be

The New College of Florida's Humanities Division hosts a lecture with Steven Nolt in coordination with their photographic exhibit Life In Pinecraft on view at the Carlisle Inn through February 24. Often presented as a stubbornly timeless people, the Amish are in fact a remarkably dynamic group. Doubling in population every twenty years, they now number nearly 375,000 and live in 34 states. This illustrated lecture introduces the Amish in

This presentation examines the history and culture of the Florida Maroons and Black Seminoles. Dr. Dixon discusses the origins and lives of both the Maroons and their development into the Black Seminoles from the 16th through 19th centuries. This presentation also includes an examination of the direct relationship between Black Seminoles and the growth of Florida through the Seminole Wars. Dr. Dixon is the President of Archival and Historical Research

In 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

The 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