The Southern Manifesto (1956) from Florida. According to the official US House of Representatives site: ” Howard Smith of Virginia, chairman of the House Rules Committee, introduced theSouthern Manifesto in a speech on the House Floor. Formally titled the “Declaration of Constitutional Principles,” it was signed by 82 Representatives and 19 Senators—roughly one-fifth of the membership of Congress […]

On this MLK Day, it is important to think about a time when a southern President who prior to 1957, had opposed Civil Rights effectively partnered with Martin Luther King Jr. The amount of scholarship developed along with screenplays/movies about this period has exploded recently. This also helps explain the gradual shift in terms of […]

In commemoration of Martin Luther King Day 2021, it is timely to recall the critical role Florida played in the passage of Civil Rights legislation- specifically St Augustine which the epicenter of MLK Jr. and Southern Christian Leadership Council (SLC) activity during the Senate filibuster of the historic Civil Rights Act of 1964. Listen: The Florida […]

In the past we have discussed the critical importance of Martin Luther King Jr’s St Augustine campaign and its impact on the 1964 Civil Rights Act. In 2011, the City of St Augustine dedicated a memorial to the steps taken by one of King’s right-hand men, future Congressman, UN Ambassador and Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young. Here is […]

On this week’s Florida History Podcast, we close out our Black History Month series with a look at how events in Florida directly impacted the Civil Rights Act of 1964’s passage. 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 […]

Florida History Podcast :Florida’s first statewide African-American official, Jonathan Clarkson Gibbs. Johnathan Clarkson Gibbs served as the first black statewide official . The above linked podcast from 2021 discusses his career and legacy.

Welcome to Black History Month 2023. Below is a short narrative about how Florida was the destination of the first underground railroad. On Tuesday February 7, we will release a podcast on the period in the 18th Century, when Spanish La Florida became a refuge for runaway slaves, which led to conflict with the British […]

Dr. Martin Luther King was a polarizing figure who brought out the best and worst in America. Eventually, the better angels of our nature prevailed and monumental legal progress was made through historic legislation. Socially, we are a far more integrated society than we were in the 1960s. Racism remains across the racial spectrum, but […]

In commemoration of Martin Luther King Day 2021, it is timely to recall the critical role Florida played in the passage of Civil Rights legislation- specifically St Augustine which the epicenter of MLK Jr. and Southern Christian Leadership Council (SLC) activity during the Senate filibuster of the historic Civil Rights Act of 1964. Listen: The Florida […]