Reconstruction and the Jim Crow Era

Following the end of the Civil War, Florida joined the other former Confederate states in rebuilding the nation. Similar to other states, the era of Reconstruction saw the promise of African American advancement in education, politics, and business. Despite these advancements, Jim Crow segregation also rose, eventually subverting the progress of African Americans and leading to increased violence throughout Florida. This presentation will explore the progress and peril African Americans

The Spanish Colonial and Slavery Eras in Florida

The Spanish colony of Florida was established in 1513 with the arrival of Juan Ponce de Leon. Subsequent interactions and conflicts between European settlers, indigenous groups, and peoples of African descent established the foundation of Florida’s history and culture. Florida’s status as a “backwater” colony made it an attractive destination for enslaved Africans, enabling them to establish settlements like Fort Mose and other colonies to celebrate freedom.

Florida Decides: A Conversation with Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee

Florida is the nation’s largest swing state where elections are often decided by razor thin margins. Already, local elections officials have begun sending vote-by-mail ballots to voters who have requested those, and with early voting sites opening mid-October, Florida voters are preparing to have their voices heard as the 2020 Presidential Election gets underway. Florida Secretary of State and Chief Elections Officer Laurel M. Lee joins the program to discuss

Sacred Waters: Exploring the Protection of Florida’s Fluid Landscapes

This presentation explores efforts to restore Florida’s waterways. We will investigate the motivations of environmentalists who love and advocate for these water bodies. By focusing on issues related to springs and the Everglades, we will dive into the conversations that arise when Floridians view water as essential to their quality of life. This event is funded by the Florida Humanities Florida Talks: At Home! program.

The Spanish American Pirates and Privateers Who Tried to Conquer Florida

Two hundred years ago, in the summer of 1817, a group of pirates and privateers invaded Amelia Island, Florida, then still a Spanish colony, in hopes of striking a blow for the Spanish American Revolutions. The presentation will tell 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. This event is funded

Unearthing Rosewood: An Archaeology of Violence and Hope

Rosewood was a prosperous African American community hard-won from the swampy hammocks of north Florida. Although the town was destroyed in 1923, the community continued, scattered across the state of Florida and beyond. Now, nearly 100 years after this tragic event the story of Rosewood remains shrouded from public view. Those who have heard of Rosewood are rarely aware of the community’s deeper history, or its relation to other places

The 100th Anniversary of the Ocoee, Florida Election Day Massacre

The state of Florida has recently mandated a law requiring that public schools and state institutions teach the history of the Ocoee Massacre. What happened in Ocoee, Florida in 1920? How do the tragic events that transpired in Orange County intersect with the broader histories of the African American freedom struggle as well as today’s efforts at historical truth and reconciliation in the age of Black Lives Matter? Paul Ortiz

Jim Crow in Florida

The Jim Crow era did more to create anti-black beliefs and feelings than slavery. Stereotypes created during the Jim Crow era are deeply embedded in the collective American consciousness and unfortunately have been internalized by many. This racial cultural conditioning of the American mind is the most destructive legacy of the Jim Crow era. Dr. Martha Bireda will examine Jim Crow laws and customs, especially those established in Florida; the

Strangers in a Strange Land

Art historian, Mallory O’Connor, presents a “Look” at Florida through the many eccentric images that tell the story of our state. Strangers in a Strange Land explores Florida’s art history and rich visual mythology. These images span centuries of time and attest to both the vivid imagination of the artists and the equally flamboyant narratives centered on our state. Mallory O’Connor is a Professor Emerita of Art History at Santa

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