Julien Chandler Yonge, about 15 or 16 years old – From an original photograph belonging to Joel Henry Horne. His cap bears the initials for the Alabama Male College (later Auburn) and his lapel pin shows the initials of his fraternity, Phi Kappa Alpha. This year marks the 145th anniversary…
By James Cusick – We’ve been having a lot of fun at recent classes held in the libraries. We now have our own version of steampunk technology in the form of a working 1905 stereoviewer that’s operated by nickels! Donated by UF alumnus David Snedeker, the Mills Novelty stereoviewer allows…
By James Cusick The P.K. Yonge Library of Florida History is proud to announce a donation of books and papers on local Black history and religious history from professor, archivist, librarian, and author Sherry Sherrod DuPree. DuPree holds an MA in educational media from North Carolina Central University and an…
By James Cusick, Rachel Laue, and John T. Foster – When did people first begin to regard Florida as a winter sanctuary and a place to relocate and set up a homestead? After decades of giving credit for this trend to the railroad barons of the 1880s, scholars are…
By Bridget Bihm-Manuel – In 1935, Franklin Roosevelt established the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to alleviate the unemployment caused by the Great Depression. It was primarily a public works program and the laborers who participated were responsible for the construction of thousands of bridges, buildings, parks, roads, and other structures…
By Rachel Laue – The life of an activist is often unconventional, but few more so than long-time peace movement advocates, John and Martina Linnehan. When the couple met in 1969 they were both in holy orders. Martina, a nun with the Sisters of St. Joseph in St. Augustine, and…
By Lee Hoffman – The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a major experiment in the 1930s that aimed to put people back to work. It established a legacy that can be found speckled across the landscape in national, state and local parks. In 1933, as the hardships of the Great…
By Ma Gabrielle Bernasol – This year marks the seventeenth since my family immigrated to Florida. Despite living so many years in the Florida, my time working with the Florida History Collection has made me realize that my knowledge of the state is still in its infant stages. Since the…
By Rachel Laue – The pioneer settlements of nineteenth-century Florida were rife with hardships and potential dangers. Settlers contended with adverse weather, fires, wildlife, and accidents often far from the help of modern conveniences, medical care, or other people. In the settlement along the Manatee River, there was another, more…
By Lee Hoffman – What is the Great Speckled Bird? The Great Speckled Bird was an underground alternative press publication. The South, historically, has been characterized as a monolithic legislative echo-chamber painted in All-American red. It should not be forgotten that southern legislatures have been historically associated with violent rhetoric…
