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.
Calendar of Events
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3 events,
EXHIBITION: Figurehead: Music & Mayhem in Orlando’s Underground
The Orange County Regional History Center has organized a new special exhibition titled Figurehead: Music & Mayhem in Orlando's Underground. Between 1985 and 2001, the Orlando concert promoter "Figurehead" invigorated the musical landscape in Central Florida. "Figurehead: Music & Mayhem in Orlando's Underground" tells the story of how the company helped grow the local scene with a focus on underground rock music and the club circuit. Utilizing the extensive Figurehead
EXHIBITION: Following Fernando’s Footsteps: A Tale of Tampa’s “Invisible Immigrants”
The Ybor City Museum Society is presenting a special exhibit on Spanish immigration that will be on display through November 2023. The exhibit is based on a semi-fictitious book by Tampa native, Tony Carreño, entitled Following Fernando's Footsteps: The Tale of Tampa's "Invisible Immigrants, which chronicles the life of a young immigrant from Asturias, Spain to Tampa via Havana, Cuba. Exhibit topics include the six phases of immigration beginning with
EXHIBITION: Bahama Village: Relics of a Fading Community
Key West Art & Historical Society will debut a new exhibition on January 13, 2023, that will explore the history and culture of the often-overlooked segment of the community - former and current residents of Bahama Village. In this exhibition, history and stories will be woven together through various events that shaped the Black and Indigenous cultures of Key West. In the early 1800s and 1900s, the Black and Indigenous
4 events,
Genocide in the 20th and 21st Centuries Student Art Exhibition and Reception
Genocide in the 20th and 21st Centuries Student Art Exhibition and Reception
The Tampa Bay Times Newspaper in education in conjunction with the Florida Holocaust Museum presents a student art exhibition and reception. Student artwork represents the causes, consequences, victims, and survivors of genocide. Artwork on display was created by Tampa Bay-area high schoolers as part of the Tampa Bay Times Newspaper in Education project "Genocide in the 20th and 21st centuries." Guest speaker Toni Rinde, St. Petersburg resident and Holocaust survivor
5 events,
The Legacy of Lynching: Confronting Racial Terror in America
The Museum of Science and History Jacksonville presents the exhibition "The Legacy of Lynching: Confronting Racial Terror in America" which tells the stories of eight men who were lynched in Duval County, Florida between 1909 and 1925. This exhibition also includes stories provided by the Equal Justice Initiative, an interactive map of confirmed lynchings, highlights and discussion prompts regarding the 2022 Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act, and a powerful collection of
A History of the Yamato Colony
A History of the Yamato Colony
Florida SouthWestern State College's Department of Humanities, Philosophy, and Fine Arts and Fort Myers Regional Library present a virtual lecture on a History of the Yamato Colony with Deeani Gonzalez of the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens to discuss the Yamato Colony, an agricultural society founded by Japanese immigrants to South Florida in 1904. Gonzalez tells of the colony's founder Jo Sakai and pioneers such as George Morikami, the impact
5 events,
One Nation Under God: Religion’s Impact on the U.S.: Jewish Life in the South with Sylvia Gurinsky
One Nation Under God: Religion’s Impact on the U.S.: Jewish Life in the South with Sylvia Gurinsky
The Jewish Council of North Central Florida is hosting a lecture with Sylvia Gurinsky as part of their lecture series "One Nation Under God: Religion's Impact on the United States." Ms. Gurinsky shares how Jews in the South distinguished themselves in shaping and re-shaping the South. A Native South Floridian, Sylvia Gurinsky is a history educator and guide for Flamingo Gardens, the Miami-Dade County Women's Park, Florida International University, and
6 events,
War in Paradise: World War II in Florida
War in Paradise: World War II in Florida
In the first weeks after Pearl Harbor pulled America into a two-front war, Germany's U-Boats worked with impunity. Off Florida alone, they sank 24 ships. Some of Florida's very features that attracted tourists made it a logical place for soldiers as well. The state, a strategic asset for its geography and climate, became an armed camp. Hotels turned into barracks, and hospitals, bases and airfields increased from eight to 172
A Braver Story: The Braver Angels Story of America
A Braver Story: The Braver Angels Story of America
Are you "us" or are you "them?" These days every religious, nonprofit, and for-profit has to state their opinion on every political disagreement. This event discusses how advisable this situation is and if there might be a better way. This event is free to attend but registration is required to attend via the Eventbrite link. Built by patriotic volunteers, Braver Angels is a national movement to bridge the partisan divide,
6 events,
EXHIBITION: An Elegy to Rosewood
Organized and curated by Curator Amy Galpin and Yady Rivero, Assistant Curator, Frost Art Museum in Miami, with Florida International University (FIU) Professor M. Alexandra Cornelius, the Creale School of Art and the Hannibal Square Heritage Center Presents "An Elegy to Rosewood,"Â an exhibition in commemoration of the 100-year anniversary of the Rosewood Massacre. Comprised of photographs and heirlooms from the Jenkins family, this groundbreaking exhibition explores the Jenkins family story
An Elegy to Rosewood Exhibition Opening Reception
An Elegy to Rosewood Exhibition Opening Reception
The Crealde School of Art and the Hannibal Square Heritage Center present "An Elegy to Rosewood," a touring exhibition organized and curated by the Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum at Florida International University. This ground-breaking exhibition explores the family story of Lizzie Robinson Jenkins and the way in which it became intertwined with the struggle for public recognition of the region's legacy of racism. Personal artifacts are shown alongside
6 events,
U-Boats, Saboteurs, and Orange Groves: Florida in World War II
U-Boats, Saboteurs, and Orange Groves: Florida in World War II
The Ormond Beach Historical Society is hosting their 2022-2023 live Speaker Series program. The twelfth lecture explores Florida's role in World War II and how it was far more consequential to the safety of the United States than previously realized and how Florida was necessary in the defense of mainland United States and how it won the largest war in history. Ryan Lowry runs Patriot Preservation LLC which specializes in
5 events,
5 events,
7 events,
Soul of Southside Art & Humanities Festival 3rd Annual “Evening of Remembrance”
Soul of Southside Art & Humanities Festival 3rd Annual “Evening of Remembrance”
The Southside Redevelopment Advisory Council is hosting the third annual "Soul of Southside: Art & Humanities Festival." This year's theme of an "Evening of Remembrance" brings together scholars and local officials to discuss the development of Tallahassee Black businesses and entrepreneurship through time, from the moment of emancipation through modern times. This conversation will include information about future public and private development and investment within Tallahassee's Southside, which is an
War in Paradise: World War II in Florida
War in Paradise: World War II in Florida
In the first weeks after Pearl Harbor pulled America into a two-front war, Germany's U-Boats worked with immunity. Off Florida alone, they sank 24 ships. Some of Florida's very features that attracted tourists made it a logical place for soldiers as well. The state, a strategic asset for its geography and climate, became an armed camp. Hotels turned into barracks, and hospitals, bases and airfields increased from eight to 172
5 events,
8 events,
Finger Mullet Film Festival
Finger Mullet Film Festival
The Crisp-Ellert Art Museum (CEAM) and Flagler College are hosting the Second Annual Finger Mullet Film Festival to be held at the museum Thursday, May 18 through Saturday, May 20. The festival kicks off on May 18 with a screening of short video works by New York-based visual artists Ilana Harris-Babou, followed by a panel discussion with the artist, Dr. Lori Lee, Kenand Distinguished Professor of Liberal Education in Anthropology,
Florida Humanities Director’s Book Club: “Matrix” by Lauren Groff
Florida Humanities Director’s Book Club: “Matrix” by Lauren Groff
Join Florida Humanities Executive Director Nadshid Madyun for a discussion on Lauren Groff's exhilarating book, Matrix, a New York Times bestseller, finalist for the 2021 National Book Award for Fiction, listed on former President Barack Obama's "Favorite Books of 2021" and winner of the 2021 Florida Book Award in General Fiction. The historical drama centers on a 17-year-old rebellious orphan, Marie de France, and the trials, triumphs and transformation she
Pirates, Privateers, and the Fall of Spain’s Empire: How Spanish American Independence Brought Florida to the United States
Pirates, Privateers, and the Fall of Spain’s Empire: How Spanish American Independence Brought Florida to the United States
Over two hundred years ago, in the summer of 1817, a group of pirates and privateers invaded Amelia Island, Florida, a Spanish colony, in hopes of striking a blow for the Spanish American Revolutions. This presentation tells the stories of these revolutionary rogues and their leaders, how they planned to free Florida from Spanish rule, and how the United States intervened to stop them. David Head is an associate lecturer
5 events,
10 events,
“Gimme That Old Time Religion” Open House
“Gimme That Old Time Religion” Open House
The Okeechobee Historical Society hosts an open house for their new project "Gimme That Old Time Religion" on May 20 at the Okeechobee Primitive Baptist Church. The project features informational banners representing Okeechobee historical churches identified in a WPA project in the 1930s. Reverend Loy Mershimer, Dr. Michelle Carrigan, and members of the historical society will answer questions from the community about the project and Mayor Dowling Watford will present
Jews of Florida: Centuries of Stories
Jews of Florida: Centuries of Stories
Florida hosts the nation's third-largest Jewish community whose history is surprising! This comprehensive history of the Jews of Florida from colonial times to the present is a sweeping tapestry of voices spanning centuries. This group has been integral to every area of Florida's growth, from tilling the land and developing early communities to boosting business, industry, education, politics, the arts, tourism, and sending humankind into space. Registration is not required
Key West Botanical Garden Society Speaker Series: Chug Collection Conservators
Key West Botanical Garden Society Speaker Series: Chug Collection Conservators
The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden is hosting the Key West Botanical Garden Society Speaker Series Chug Collection Conservator Dr. John R. Bratten, for a presentation of the Cuban "Chug" Boat Project: "Documenting Hope and Resolve." This presentation is a follow up of maritime archaeologists at the University of West Florida embarked on a project to record a collection of small boats and rafts that provided a conduit
Freedom for All: Liberation in Haiti and Florida
Freedom for All: Liberation in Haiti and Florida
The South Florida People of Color, in partnership with the Broward County Library's African American Research Library and Cultural Center, hosts a discussion panel in recognition of Haitian Flag Day on May 18th and Florida's Emancipation Day on May 20th. This panel brings together historians and cultural experts for a transnational conversation about freedom struggles in the Caribbean and the Americas to educate the public about the two holidays. Registration
Reimagining Emancipation: From the U.S. to the West Indies
Reimagining Emancipation: From the U.S. to the West Indies
The Island SPACE Caribbean Museum hosts a hybrid panel discussion — including both African-American and Caribbean perspectives — on how the country has evolved since slavery, contemporary positions on equity and equality, and how collective experiences can improve. Panelists include Dr. David Bynes, Dr. Nadine Wedderburn, Derek T. Davis, and Glenn Joseph, moderated by Dr. Rozalia Williams. Dr. Byrnes serves as the Director for the Office of Social Justice and
6 events,
What Kind of Ancestors Do You Want to Be?: Sea Level Rise and Heritage Sites in Florida
What Kind of Ancestors Do You Want to Be?: Sea Level Rise and Heritage Sites in Florida
New weather patterns, larger storms, and rising sea levels are challenging communities and transforming conventional thinking. Archaeologists document the shifting seascape's destruction of archaeological and historical sites and offer long-term perspectives on human adaptation and maladaptation to environmental changes. This presentation is global in scope and includes Floridian archaeological perspectives. Uzi Baram is a Professor of Anthology and founding Director of the Public Archaeology Lab at New College of Florida.
5 events,
One Nation Under God: Religion’s Impact on the U.S.: The Role of the Church in a Diverse Society with Joel Searby
One Nation Under God: Religion’s Impact on the U.S.: The Role of the Church in a Diverse Society with Joel Searby
The Jewish Council of North Central Florida is hosting a lecture with Joel Searby as part of their lecture series "One Nation Under God: Religion's Impact on the United States." This lecture examines the breadth of religious organizations in the contemporary United States and how churches and other religious organizations contribute to society through a broad range of civic activities Joel Searby is a national political strategist known for his
5 events,
“Florida Road Trip” Season 9 Premiere Screening
“Florida Road Trip” Season 9 Premiere Screening
WUCF premieres Florida Road Trip Season 9 on May 25, 2023. Attendees can be the first to watch Season 9 episode 1 of Florida Road Trip before it airs on WUCF PBS TV in Summer 2023. A talk-back with the Florida Road Trip production team and Dr. J Michael Butler, the Kenan Distinguished Professor of History and Humanities Department Chair at Flagler College, immediately follows the screening. Light bites and
5 events,
Rare Science with Ebony Payne-English
Rare Science with Ebony Payne-English
Join the Museum of Science and History and award-winning performance artist and poet Ebony Payne-English for an evening of storytelling and community celebration. In "Rare Science," Ebony presents her interpretation of the human condition via an anthropological perspective. In this masterful weaving of rhyme, intricate storytelling, and performance art, she reveals the rigid conflict and riveting luminance of community, shared history, and collective responsibility. Ebony Payne-English is a poet/educator from
5 events,
Voices from Florida: Exploring Miami’s Haitian History
Voices from Florida: Exploring Miami’s Haitian History
The Special Collections and Archives Division of the Miami-Dade Public Library System presents "Voices from Florida," a monthly series about Florida's culture, literature, history, and communities. Join community historian and founder of "Black Miami-Dade" Nadege Green to learn more about the history of Haitians in Miami before the mass migration of the 1970s and hear stories highlighting the solidarity between African Americans and Haitians. "Black Miami-Dade" is a multimedia history
6 events,
Summer Reading 2023: Our Stories: Creative Writing Workshop
Summer Reading 2023: Our Stories: Creative Writing Workshop
Winter Park Public Library hosts a weekly workshop with instructor and author Jaime Lee Lewis. Lewis discusses a different element of good story writing in each class and gives students time to practice these elements in their writing along with opportunities to read and discuss their work. This course culminates in an opportunity for students to share their work aloud at the Celebration of Stories at the Edyth Bush Theatre
Artists and Thinkers: Stewing with Zora Howard
Artists and Thinkers: Stewing with Zora Howard
The Hermitage Artist Retreat presents the second in their Artists and Thinkers series, "Stewing with Zora Howard." In Pulitzer Prize finalist and Hermitage Fellow Zora Howard's STEW, it's too hot and too early for all the drama. As the generations of Tucker women convene in the kitchen to prepare a meal for a large gathering later that day, it begins to emerge that "the secrets we keep from our mothers
5 events,
Florida Food in the Golden Era of Women’s Page Journalism
Florida Food in the Golden Era of Women’s Page Journalism
The Ormond Beach Historical Society is hosting their 2022-2023 live Speaker Series program. Learn how Florida's women's pages were considered the best in the country in the 1950s and 1960s in the 15th lecture in the series with Dr. Kimberly Voss. This lecture features pioneering food journalists Jeanne Voltz, Jane Nickerson, and Ruth Gray. Kimberly Voss, PhD, is a full professor of journalism at the University of Central Florida and
