Category Florida History
Zest of the Day: Throwback Tuesday, when NW Florida wanted to leave the state
Not that long ago…it’s been a debate for a hundred and fifty years but as recently as 1982 it was a political issue. This article is from the Ocala Star-Banner. It quotes Rep. Tom Tobiassen then a Republican (Tobiassen switched to the Democratic Party that same year and served until 1992 in the House as […]
Throwback Tuesday: 1980, when north Florida got it right and the rest of the state got it horribly wrong
We’ve spent a lot of time the last few weeks talking about the “dixiecrat” vote in north Florida as well as the interior of the state. These voters overwhelmingly supported George Wallace in 1968, running as an Independent, stuck with Wallace in the 1972 Democratic Primary leading him to an overwhelming statewide victory and then […]
Tracking Florida’s Presidential drift from reliably Republican to lean Democrat
Today let’s compare a county break down the 1996 Presidential Race where Bill Clinton as an incumbent won the state overwhelmingly (keep in mind Clinton lost Florida in 1992 by under two points) to Barack Obama’s three point win 2008. These were the two best results by Democrats in Florida since Harry Truman’s 1948 victory. […]
Remembering the unjust racist verdict that led to Florida’s largest ever urban riots
In 1980 the City of Miami erupted with the worst urban riots in the United States since the Watts riots of 1965. But what led to these riots was an unjust “not-guilty” verdict in the trial of several police officers accused of killing Arthur McDuffie. The trial which was moved from Miami to Tampa featured […]
Throwback Tuesday: Massive Resistance, Civil Rights and Florida
Florida was by 1950 the most urban and cosmopolitan state in the South. By 1970, Florida in many ways resembled a northern state or at least in many areas where Republicans were beginning to dominate electorally. But throughout much of the state, even urban areas Old South norms still prevailed. University of Georgia professor Numan […]
Images of George Wallace Campaign Literature
Last week we discussed George Wallace’s remarkable success in Florida not only as a third-party Presidential candidate in 1968 but also in Democratic Primaries in 1972 and 1976. Below are some items from my collection. The first item is a flyer from the 1970 Alabama Democratic Gubernatorial Primary Runoff. Wallace had run behind Albert Brewer […]
Remembering Charley Johns and his Committee: Shameful Florida Legislative History
Senator Charley Johns (D-Starke) is one of the best known figures in the Florida Political History for multiple dubious reasons. The leader of the infamous “Pork Chop Gang”. Johns became Governor in 1953 after Governor Dan McCarty the first Governor elected from southern Florida died just months after taking office. Prior to 1968, Florida had […]
The Voting Rights Act in Florida 1982-2006 and language minorities
In 2006 before the Congressional re-authorization of the Voting Rights Act (which US Chief Justice John Roberts thinks is unnecessary) Civil Rights.org produced a report regarding Florida and the Voting Rights Act’s implementation since the 1982 redistricting process. An interesting observation was found here regarding language minorities: A recent and ongoing history of discrimination against […]
George Wallace and Florida Democrats: Race Based Politics from 1968 to 1976
Wallace on the eve of the 1972 Florida Democratic Presidential Primary; Race and Rage were his calling cards and he won the primary by 23 points. Florida has a sad history of racism in its politics. In 1968, Alabama’s Democratic former Governor George Wallace who had become a national figure with his “stand in the […]
A History of Race and Florida Politics
Over the next week, the Florida Squeeze will be publishing a series of articles looking at the history of African-Americans in Florida politics in the wake of the Trayvon Martin verdict. The series will not be in chronological order and will discuss different events and eras in Florida Political History regarding race. Look for the […]
