The Florida History and Culture Series
Series · 13
books · 1999-2012
Books in series
#3
Beechers, Stowes, and Yankee Strangers
The Transformation of Florida
1999
"A beautifully written, researched, and convincing treatment of an important time and fascinating personalities in Florida’s history."–Mark I. Greenberg, Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, Jackson, Mississippi Modern Florida—a world of tourists"Much has been written about carpetbaggers, the rise of Jim Crow laws and the Ku Klux Klan. Here's another side of the period: the reformers, educators, ministers and entrepeneurs who came to Florida and laid a foundation upon which a modern state was built... —Beechers, Stowes, and Yankee Strangers\— is an interesting story about remarkable people during a period of change. The Fosters do a fine job in bringing the individuals and the time in which they lived to life." — Florida Wildlife
"For those who think Henry Flagler's railroad was the only thing that brought settlers to Florida, —Beechers, Stowes and Yankee Strangers\— sheds new light on the history of the Sunshine State.
Before Flagler Drove his first spike in Florida, a group of social reformers from the North had a major impact on the state in the Reconstruction period of the late 19th century... The most well-know 'Stranger' was Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of —Uncle Tom's Cabin. Abraham Lincoln is said to have introduced her once as the 'lady who started the Civil War.' Reading this book, one might also call her the 'lady who started Florida tourism.'" — Daytona Beach News-Journal
"A very readable history of Florida covering the period just prior to the Civil War and until the start of the 20th century... If you are interested in seeing how Florida's past shaped its present, this book is a useful tool. It should be required reading for any Florida history class." — Ft. Pierce Tribune
#5
Claude Pepper and Ed Ball
Politics, Purpose, and Power
2000
The power struggle between Claude Pepper and Ed Ball in the mid-20th century in large part determined the future of Florida. This account of their interlocking careers - both dominated by a quest for power, money and purpose - illuminates the historical role of these two personalities.
#11
In the Eye of Hurricane Andrew
2002
"These personal accounts put a human face on history's grim statistics to capture how people felt and how they dealt with the most frightening experience of their lives. In the year of its 10th anniversary, In the Eye of Hurricane Andrew makes us all reflect back on this devastating event and its impact on the citizens of South Florida."—Stephen P. Leatherman, Director of the International Hurricane Center, Miami Although Florida has been struck by more hurricanes than any other region of the continental United States, most people living in South Florida in 1992 had never experienced a hurricane. On August 24, in a matter of hours, Hurricane Andrew ravaged communities on the South Florida coast, leaving 250,000 homeless and physical damages of close to $30 billion. Based on interviews with survivors and rescue workers in the weeks and months that followed, In the Eye of Hurricane Andrew is the extraordinary story of one of the most destructive natural disasters in modern American history as told by the people who lived through it. From a psychological and social point of view, Andrew was unprecedented. While the book relates the history of the storm and its consequences, its greatest strength is the personal level at which it engages the reader. Nearly 100 people representing diverse backgrounds share their experiences, from a mother who weathered the storm in a tiny bathroom shared with another adult, four children, and a dog, to a roofer who traveled from Tennessee to help in the rebuilding process, to Bryan Norcross, the TV weatherman whose voice guided many through the storm. Their testimonies create a real sense of how Andrew impacted each human being—the decision to evacuate or not, preparations, what happened during the storm, the clean-up, looting, price gouging, rebuilding, and living in the aftermath.
Providing a context for these oral histories, the book also draws upon a wide range of published sources such as newspaper and documentary accounts. A comprehensive bibliography includes government reports, conference proceedings, maps, and video recordings. Photos from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration supplement the engaging text to reveal the incredible before and after, testifying to the ingenuity and resiliency of South Floridians carrying on in the face of such devastation. Eugene F. Provenzo, Jr., is professor of education at the University of Miami. Asterie Baker Provenzo is a widely published author of books on local, family, and community history. She has developed local history curricula for the Historical Association of South Florida.
#15
The Stranahans of Fort Lauderdale
A Pioneer Family of New River
2003
The story of Frank and Ivy Stranahan, two individuals who shaped the development of one of Florida's major urban centers.
#20
Floridian of His Century
The Courage of Governor LeRoy Collins
2006
In this portrait of a man the Florida House of Representatives eulogized as the “Floridian of the Twentieth Century,” Dyckman argues that the courageous moral leadership of LeRoy Collins not only spared Florida the humiliation that befell other southern states under less enlightened leaders but also was responsible for modernizing all the branches of the state government. Collins was elected governor as a segregationist but recognized in office that he could not reconcile segregation with his religious faith or his sworn duty to represent all the citizens of Florida. He announced that racial discrimination was contrary to “moral, simple justice.”
Collins won the two most important elections for governor in his state’s history—as the champion of urban Florida against rural misrule in the special election of 1954 and as the voice of racial moderation in 1956, when his home-state rivals and many Southern peers were preaching defiancé of the U.S. Supreme Court’s desegregation decisions. Collins fought what he thought were losing battles for a modern constitution and fair apportionment of the state legislature but saw these succeed not long after he had left office largely because of his efforts. As president of the National Association of Broadcasters, Collins shocked his employers by denouncing tobacco advertising aimed at children. Chosen by President Lyndon Johnson to direct a conciliation service created by the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Collins arranged a peaceful conclusion to the famous Selma to Montgomery voting rights march. But his mission became fuel for a racist backlash when “Liberal LeRoy”—as his opponent dubbed him—ran for the U.S. Senate in 1968, and the defeat ended his political career.
This is the first comprehensive biography of the life and influence of LeRoy Collins since his death in 1991. It is not merely a political history but also the inspirational story of an American patriot who in his own words regarded the opportunity to help citizens as the glory of government.
#24
The New Deal in South Florida
Design, Policy, and Community Building, 1933-1940
2008
The New Deal sought to restore national economic strength in part by reallocating resources and restructuring local landscapes. Few parts of the country were transformed as significantly as South Florida. Blurring the traditional disciplinary boundaries of design history and political science, the contributors to The New Deal in South Florida explore the impact of a wide variety of New Deal projects on the region. They examine letters and photographs—many never before published—public murals, housing, parks, and architectural and community design. Heavily illustrated, this book offers historians and enthusiasts of Florida history a unique perspective on South Florida's growth during the 1930s. It reveals how Coral Gables, Miami Beach, Miami, and other communities were permanently altered by the impact of New Deal programs. It also reveals hidden gems of architecture and visual art that still exist today. Editors John Stuart and John Stack's work highlights the importance of New Deal projects to the area's development into one of the nation's premier urban districts and tourist destinations.
#25
A Most Disorderly Court
Scandal and Reform in the Florida Judiciary
2008
In the 1970s, justices on the Florida Supreme Court were popularly elected. But a number of scandals threatened to topple the court until public outrage led to profound reforms and fundamental changes in the way justices were seated. One justice abruptly retired after being filmed on a high-roller junket to Las Vegas. Two others tried to fix cases in lower courts on behalf of campaign supporters. A fourth destroyed evidence by shredding his copy of a document into "seventeen equal" strips of paper that he then flushed down a toilet. As the journalist who wrote most of the stories that exposed these events, Martin Dyckman played a key role in revealing the corruption, favoritism, and cronyism then rampant in the court. A Most Disorderly Court recounts this dark period in Florida politics, when stunning revelations regularly came to light. He also traces the reform efforts that ultimately led to a constitutional amendment providing for the appointment of all Florida's appellate judges, and emphasizes the absolute importance of confidential sources for journalists.
#26
Sandspurs
Notes from a Coastal Columnist
2008
Far from the myth of surf, sand, and orange juice, Mark Lane's snapshots of life in the Sunshine State are more likely to feature gargantuan insects than bikini-clad coeds.
#40
Hidden Seminoles
Julian Dimock's Historic Florida Photographs
2011
In April 1905, A. W. Dimock, a New York financier, and his thirty-one-year-old son Julian motored their boat across Chokoloskee Bay. They docked at George Storter's store in the small outpost of Everglade on the southwest coast of Florida, at the very edge of Anglo civilization.
At Storter's, the Dimocks saw several Seminole Indians who came from their homes in the interior of south Florida to shop and trade for household goods. Survivors of three wars, these proud people kept to themselves. Julian, an accomplished photographer, set up his camera and expressed an interest in learning more about their lives. Over the next five years he would amass an unprecedented photographic record of the Seminole people and their surroundings. Now archived at the American Museum of Natural History, his six thousand glass negatives, unique for the time in that they were not taken for the tourist trade, are a national treasure.
Milanich and Root relate the adventures of the Dimocks among the Seminole Indians at a time when few whites ventured into the Everglades and the Big Cypress Swamp. Reproduced in rich duotones, Julian's photographs reveal fascinating aspects of Seminole Indian life in the depths of the Florida peninsula.
#41
A Journey into Florida Railroad History
2008
Meticulously researched and richly illustrated—including many never-before-published images—A Journey into Florida Railroad History is a comprehensive, authoritative history of the subject. Written by one of the nation's foremost authorities on Florida railroads, it explores all the key players and companies, and every significant period of development. This engaging and lively story will be savored and enjoyed by generations to come.
#42
Key West on the Edge
Inventing the Conch Republic
2012
How the unique island city came to be a major tourist destination
Florida Historical Society Charlton Tebeau Book Award
Key West lies at the southernmost point of the continental United States, ninety miles from Cuba, at Mile Marker 0 on famed U.S. Highway 1. Famous for six-toed cats in the Hemingway House, Sloppy Joe’s and Captain Tony's, Jimmy Buffett songs, body paint parade "costumes," and a brief secession from the Union after which the Conch Republic asked for $1 billion in foreign aid, Key West also lies at the metaphorical edge of our sensibilities. How this unlikely city came to be a tourist mecca is the subject of Robert Kerstein's intrepid new history. Sited on an island only four miles long and two miles wide, Key West has been fishing village, salvage yard, U.S. Navy base, cigar factory, hippie haven, gay enclave, cruise ship port-of-call, and more. Duval Street, which stretches the length of one of the most unusual cities in America, is today lined with brand-name shops that can be found in any major shopping mall in America. Leaving no stone unturned, Kerstein reveals how Key West has changed dramatically over the years while holding on to the uniqueness that continues to attract tourists and new residents to the island.
#43
Saving South Beach
2005
How a desperate struggle over two square miles of prime oceanfront real estate gave birth to one of America’s most iconic destinations for tourism, art, fashion, and nightlife.
“Stofik reports with wit and insight on the personalities that gave rise to the new South Beach, a place that has surpassed what the city’s founders, dreamers, and schemers strove for: America’s playground.”—Gary Monroe, author of The Highwaymen: Florida’s African-American Landscape Painters (UPF) and Romer’s Miami
“An important—and highly readable—window into the historic preservation movement in Miami Beach... Stofik makes a solid contribution to the history of Florida and its growing impact on the nation’s sense of place.” —Gregory Bush, professor of history, University of Miami, and coauthor of Miami: An American Crossroad
Only 30 years ago the southern end of Miami Beach was a dingy warren of deteriorating hotels, retiree apartments, and high crime rates. Saving South Beach is the compelling story of the fight to preserve a decaying neighborhood, only to see it transform into one of the world’s most glamorous hotspots—“SoBe.”
In Saving South Beach, historic preservation clashes with development as each side vies for control of South Beach. A spectrum of characters are present, from Barbara Baer Capitman, the ailing middle-aged widow who became an evangelist for the Miami Beach Art Deco district, to Abe Resnick, the millionaire Holocaust survivor determined to stop her. From pioneers to volunteers, from Jewish retirees to Cuban exiles, from residents and business owners to developers and city leaders, each adds another piece to the puzzle, another view of the intense conflict that ensued.
Although a number of the area’s iconic buildings were demolished, the Miami Design Preservation League succeeded in entering almost half of the neighborhood into the National Register of Historic Places, kicking off a revitalization effort that spread throughout South Beach.
Preservationist M. Barron Stofik lived in Miami during this turmoil-ridden period and, through hundreds of interviews and extensive investigation, weaves together dramatic themes of civic heroism, preservation, and cultural change in the passionate human story behind the pastel facades and neon lights.
#49
Jacksonville
The Consolidation Story, from Civil Rights to the Jaguars
2004
In the 1950s and 60s Jacksonville faced daunting problems. The city government was criticized for being boss-ridden and corrupt, African Americans challenged racial segregation, the St. Johns River was heavily polluted, and downtown development had succumbed to suburban sprawl. In 1967 the city decided to consolidate with surrounding Duval County, transforming this conservative Deep South backwater city into a prosperous, mainstream metropolis. James Crooks introduces readers to preconsolidation Jacksonville and then focuses on three major issues that confronted the expanded racial relations, environmental pollution, and the revitalization of downtown. This urban history will fascinate scholars of politics and governmental reform as well as residents of the First Coast city. A volume in the Florida History and Culture Series, edited by Raymond Arsenault and Gary R. Mormino
Authors
Mark Lane
Author · 4 books
Biography Mark Lane is an author, lawyer and activist. His was the first voice to publicly question the top secret investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and his bestselling book, Rush to Judgment, was one of the first to question the Warren Commission's conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone assassin. A Citizen's Dissent recounts the vast efforts of our government and the establishment media to suppress his investigation into the assassination of JFK and to silence and destroy him for his work. His later works on the JFK assassination detailed the involvement of the CIA through an actual trial in which Lane cross-examined multiple agents [Plausible Denial] and the role played by the CIA and Secret Service [Last Word]. He crossed the country speaking at countless colleges and other institutions about the murder of the president sparking the creation of the House Select Committee on Assassinations, which looked into the assassinations of Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A Freedom Rider while he served in the New York Legislature in 1961, he has defended the rights of the voiceless from his beginnings in East Harlem to Wounded Knee, where he successfully defended the leaders of the American Indian Movement. He freed James Joseph Richardson, a black man framed in rural Florida for the murder of his own seven children, from prison after serving over 20 years, many of them on death row [Arcadia]. He is a survivor of Jonestown [The Strongest Poison] and was a leader of the anti war movement during the Viet Nam era [Chicago Eyewitness; Conversations with Americans], Lane's autobiography, Citizen Lane, was published in 2012.
Jerald T. Milanich
Author · 9 books
Jerald T. Milanich is an American anthropologist and archaeologist, specializing in Native American culture in Florida. He is Curator Emeritus of Archaeology at the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida in Gainesville; Adjunct Professor, Department of Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Florida; and Adjunct Professor, Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Florida. Milanich holds a Ph.D in anthropology from the University of Florida. Milanich has won several awards for his books. Milanich won the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida Archaeological Council in 2005 and the Dorothy Dodd Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida Historical Society in 2013. He was inducted as a Fellow into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2010. Milanich's research interests include Eastern United States archeology, pre-Columbian Southeastern U.S. native peoples, and colonial period native American-European/Anglo relations in the America. In May 1987 he was cited in a New York Times article: Milanich is married to anthropologist Maxine Margolis, also a professor at the University of Florida. They are the parents of historian Nara Milanich, who teaches at Columbia University.
