Author Archives: Kartik Krishnaiyer
Dempsey Barron: The Master of the Florida Senate
The late Dempsey Barron is a titan of Florida Political History. This week on The Florida History Podcast we discuss Barron, the most influential member of the State Senate in Florida’s contemporary political history. Serving from 1960 to 1988, Barron was the undisputed king of the Senate. You can listen to the Florida History Podcast […]
A case for Crist: Why Charlie Crist for Governor makes sense for Florida’s citizens (but maybe not for Democratic partisans)
Charlie Crist has announced he’s running for Governor for a third time – he was elected to the office as a Republican in 2006, becaming an independent during the last weeks of his final legislative session in 2010, and ran as a Democrat, winning the nomination but losing a close General Election in 2014. National […]
Angola, Florida: An 1800’s African-American settlement in Manatee County
In the Second Spanish Period (1784-1821) East Florida was characterized by general lawlessness and the ability of those held in bondage in the United States to runaway to Florida and achieve freedom. A community of African-Americans was thriving in the 1810’s until Florida became an American possession and it was destroyed on the orders of […]
VIDEOS: Fern Forest Nature Center
Fern Forest Nature Center is one of the most unique urban park landscapes in Florida. The park is a uniquely preserved ecosystem and oasis in the middle of heavily urbanized Broward County. Enjoy the videos below.
The 1952 Governor’s Election
The historic 1952 Governor’s Race won by Dan McCarty of Fort Pierce, was the first modern campaign in Florida’s History. Like all Florida elections in this period, the real race was in the Democratic Primary. We discuss this election on this week’s Florida History Podcast. You can listen to the Florida History Podcast on Anchor (which hosts […]
How Pensacola led to the siege of Yorktown and American victory in the Revolution
Florida was never, until recently has been treated as an equal by American historians. But in recent years more scholarship has demonstrated how Florida was a shining light in the 1600’s, how St Augustine was a more cosmopolitan and “free” city for non-whites in the colonial period and how Florida played a role in the […]
Governor DeSantis aka “Ronnie the Commie” – Florida’s so-called conservative Governor is doubling-down on statism and crushing free enterprise
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is seen as an doctrinaire conservative by the political press, who much like activists seem driven far more by social issues than economic ones. DeSantis’ desire to push the buttons of COVID-denial and appeal to anti-Vaxxers has him pushing yet another Soviet-styled attempt to crush free enterprise in Florida. Today, DeSantis […]
Why we love Florida History
On this week’s Florida History Podcast, episode 100 we discuss why we love Florida History and why we’ve never had a Floridian elected President or Vice President. You can listen to the Florida History Podcast on Anchor (which hosts our show), Spotify, Google, Apple Podcasts, Radio Public, Breaker, Overcast, Castro or Pocket Casts. Overcast, Castro, Spotify, Radio Public and Breaker have App Store apps for free […]
Tall Cypress Natural Area – 4K Video
Tall Cypress Natural Area in Coral Springs is one of the most unique and bio-diverse natural areas in urban southeastern Florida. The area was preserved in the early 1990’s due in large measure to the efforts of students at nearby Coral Springs High School.
Video: Cypress Creek Trail at Fern Forest Park
The Cypress Creek Trail at the Fern Forest Nature Center is an interesting cross-section of vegetation. The land is preserved and provides a glimpse into what this part of southern Florida looked like before human development. It is part of the broader Fern Forest Nature Center which is one of the great urban parks in […]
The Florida Squeeze 