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FORUM : the Magazine of the Florida Humanities Florida Humanities

4-1-2020

Forum : Vol. 44, No. 01 (Spring : 2020)

Florida Humanities.

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Recommended Citation Florida Humanities., "Forum : Vol. 44, No. 01 (Spring : 2020)" (2020). FORUM : the Magazine of the Florida Humanities. 89. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/forum_magazine/89

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Florida Humanities at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in FORUM : the Magazine of the Florida Humanities by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE MAGAZINE OF FLORIDA HUMANITIES

SPRING 2020

‘We hold these truths…’ How the Declaration of Independence can strengthen our bonds today

Voices and Votes Exhibit charts our unfolding history

Tracing Florida’s civic journey Celebrating 100 History, voting, engagement and more years of women’s right to vote

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SJCC-000047_FORUMMagazineCreativeResize_8.375x11_RsG.indd 1 2/14/20 2:55 PM 2020 Board of Directors Letter from the Executive Director B. Lester Abberger Tallahassee Wayne Adkisson Pensacola Juan Bendeck, Treasurer Naples Danny Berenberg Ponte Vedra Beach Frank Biafora St. Petersburg How the Kurt Browning San Antonio Peggy Bulger Fernandina Beach Reginald Ellis Tallahassee Casey Fletcher Bartow humanities Makiba Foster Plantation Jose Garcia-Pedrosa Coral Gables Maria Goldberg Pensacola keep us free Joseph Harbaugh, Chair Hollywood David Jackson Tallahassee Steve Seibert Sue Kim Ormond Beach George Lange Tampa Thomas Luzier, Vice-Chair Sarasota he humanities are not fluff. and not the heat so prevalent in our Linda Marcelli, Secretary Gulfport Too often, an argument current public discourse. Janet Snyder Matthews Sarasota arises over their worth, some In this edition, Florida Humanities Dabney Park Coral Gables dismissing the study of the also says hello to a new friend, Florida’s Michael Urette Tampa humanities as an intellectual Secretary of State Laurel Lee, as she Glenda Walters Lynn Haven luxuryT that doesn’t pay off in the real world. contributes her first “Letter from the Patrick Yack Tallahassee But here is why the humanities are Secretary.” Secretary Lee is a steadfast Florida Humanities Staff indispensable to a free society: America supporter of the humanities and we hope Steve Seibert Executive Director was born from ideas, a basic set of values her voice will be heard from these pages for Laurie Berlin Director of Administration and beliefs which include individual liberty a long time to come. Alex Buell Program Coordinator and human equality, the rule of law, the And we sadly, very sadly, say good-bye Makenzie Garner Communications Assistant separation of powers, property and civil to Dr. David Colburn, who died last Lisa Lennox Digital Media Manager rights, free markets, free elections, and September in his beloved Gainesville. Lindsey Morrison Grants Coordinator the free exercise of religion. These ideas David was a preeminent teacher, historian, Brenda O’Hara Chief Financial Officer Patricia Putman Associate Director are not born of algorithms or big data or and seeker of the truth. His grateful Madeline Rhodes Grants Intern STEM; as important as those tools are, it is University of Florida students number Keith Simmons Communications Director in the thousands, including the award- immersion in the humanities that allows Mara Utterback Finance and Data Assistant us to better understand who we are and winning Florida author, Cynthia Barnett, FORUM Staff what we value; what it means to be a “good who provides a powerful obituary. David Jacki Levine Editor person” and a “just society.” Technological, chaired the Florida Humanities Board Tom Scherberger Communications Consultant economic, and even military power are as well as the Board of the Federation Athena Buell Contributing Editor of State Humanities Councils. Had he not enough; they are not even the most David Meek Designer important aspirations. As Dr. Martin lived for three more days, he would have Luther King, Jr. stated: received the Florida Humanities Lifetime To advertise in FORUM, contact: [email protected] “Our scientific power has outrun our Achievement Award, only the second one Florida Humanities FORUM/ Vol. XLIV, No 1 Spring 2020 spiritual power. We have guided missiles and given in our 45-year history. A mighty oak © 2020 Florida Humanities The magazine of Florida Humanities misguided men.” has fallen. 599 Second Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5005 Accordingly, a working knowledge of We hope you will scour these articles (727) 873-2000 history, law, civics, great literature, great carefully. The risk of not understanding Website: www.floridahumanities.org ideas, ethics, philosophy, and religion the ideas and experiences that lie at the Florida Humanities is a nonprofit organization funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the State of is of utmost importance. Support for foundation of the nation is existential. Florida, and private contributors. FH FORUM is published the institutions that provide these to As a 28-year-old Abraham Lincoln warned three times a year and distributed to the friends of Florida us so directly, Humanities and interested Floridians. If you wish to be Floridians, like libraries and museums, is added to the mailing list, please request so in writing or crucial. It falls to the humanities to nourish “As a nation of free men, we must live via the website. Views expressed by contributors to the the still revolutionary American hypothesis through all time or die by suicide.” FORUM are not necessarily those of Florida Humanities. that a free and diverse people are capable of The humanities have the power governing themselves. to inform as well as inspire, and in the This edition of FORUM is dedicated to following pages, we hope to accomplish furthering our understanding of democracy both. and civics. It is never our intention to advocate for any political position. Rather, by sharing insightful articles by thoughtful authors, Florida Humanities seeks to bring We would like to acknowledge the generous support of the light to our understanding of democracy, National Endowment for the Humanities and the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs Steve Seibert and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 3 THE MAGAZINE OF FLORIDA HUMANITIES

Table of Contents Spring 2020

HUMANITIES TODAY: Let there be sunshine 6 42Meet legislator J. Emory “Red” For those who came before In honor of this year’s 100th anniversary Cross, who led the way on Florida’s of the ratification of the 19th Amendment groundbreaking Government in the giving women the right to vote – and the Sunshine laws. events that will be held to commemorate By Ron Cunningham it around the state. By Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee Choosing16 loyalty to the King Florida, then two British colonies, A tribute to David Colburn wanted nothing to do with the Remembering the historian, author, A mirror to our state Revolutionary War, remaining loyal to 26 How Florida’s five constitutions reflect and scholar who championed Florida’s the British. In the end, the feeling was the evolving history of Florida. strength through diversity. not mutual. By Cynthia Barnett By Tom Scherberger By Mary Adkins What’s new at Florida Humanities Sharing our state’s rich stories, Learning to be citizens Thanks44 to current laws, civic and a look at other Community education is now mandatory in public Project Grants; learn more about our schools. How are these lessons history in new Florida Talks program; preparing voters of the future, and remembering Paradise Park, through how do they compare to what new the eyes of photographer Bruce The rise and fall of A voting primer would-be citizens must learn? Mozert; and meet Florida Humanities’ 32A comprehensive look at the state’s 18 By Cassidy Alexander new board members. Florida’s would-be capital history of voting, and how voting rights By Tom Scherberger The Panhandle’s St. Joseph was a have reflected the times. thriving town, hosting the drafting of the first state constitution, until disaster By Susan MacManus laid it low. In this edition of FORUM, By Ron Cunningham we take a look at our democracy, in our state and in our nation, just in time for the opening Awake to engagement 48While Florida has ranked low compared of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum to other states when it comes to on Main Street’s traveling measures of civic participation, there exhibit and the commemoration of the are signs that more of us are getting involved. 100th anniversary of the ratification Home for history of the 19th Amendment giving women 20 By Tom Scherberger the right to vote. (And of course, it’s for 200 years also a presidential election year). The Grove in Tallahassee, now a museum, has seen history unfold for 200 years, from its time as the residence of Florida Territorial Governor Richard Keith Call, to its years as the home of Gov. LeRoy Collins, the husband of Call’s descendant. By Mark Hinson Talking across the divide 50Up and down the state, workshops are Women’s suffrage centennial helping people learn to bridge their A 38story of how the struggle played out political divisions and speak civilly and in Florida, as women fought for the right with understanding to one another. to vote. By Keith Simmons By Peggy Macdonald Voices14 and Votes: Democracy in America Follow the course of our country’s tumultuous history through this new Museum on Main Street exhibit, visiting five stops in Florida in the coming months. By Jacki Levine 58STATE OF WONDER: Why our voting rates Stumping the state ON THE COVER: Symbol of the 40 In 1929, Ruth Bryan Owen was lag behind suffrage movement We hold these truths… One of the nation’s fastest growing elected the first woman to serve in 22An essay by a noted Harvard scholar the U.S. Congress from Florida after An American suffragist carrying an states, Florida is also one of the worst American flag attached to a broom handle, and author on what we can learn from when it comes to voter participation. driving up and down her district from circa 1917. (Photo by Wade Mountfortt Jr./ the Declaration of Independence today. We look at why. Jacksonville to Key West and giving Archive Photos/Getty Images) By Danielle Allen By Aubrey Jewett 500 stump speeches.

4 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES Letter from the Editor

Surprising tales of Florida democracy

Jacki Levine

lorida’s history is full of surprises, not the least of So where does Florida fit into this picture? With the exception which is that there’s so much of it. In a state known of the remarkable essay by noted Harvard scholar and author for its newness and relative youth, its story is deep Danielle Allen, which presents the Declaration of Independence and rich, dramatic and intriguing, reflecting the in a revealing new light, much of this FORUM is devoted to best — and worst — of its times. democracy and civic life here. FDid you know, for example, that Florida territorial governor Drama fills the story of our unfolding democracy. We start on Richard Keith Call — one of the state’s largest slaveholders – the brink of the Revolutionary War, in the time of two Floridas, east was also bitterly and vocally against seceding from the Union? and west, and revisit the key moment when inhabitants — happy And that a century later, his great-granddaughter’s husband with business under the British — cast their lot as Loyalists to the LeRoy Collins — also a Florida governor — would become King. We fast forward to the fate of old St. Joseph, our would-be known as one of the South’s most progressive voices? capital, and on to the brink of the Civil War, when emotions ran Or that had it not been for a series of plague-like events — high as inhabitants made another momentous decision, this time a yellow fever epidemic, followed by a hurricane and wildfires to renounce their hard-won statehood and secede from the Union. — Florida’s capital could now be in St. Joseph, a once-thriving And we bring you a look at Florida’s part in the battle for Panhandle coastal city that hosted the drafting of the state’s first women’s suffrage — which shamefully, did not focus on all women. proposed constitution before being laid low by misfortune? How do we engage in day-to-day democracy in our state? I’ve lived here most of my life, yet one of the great pleasures Florida legal scholar Mary Adkins recounts the making of our five of editing FORUM is the gems of Florida’s past and present I constitutions, and how each came to reflect and shape its times. discover with every issue. There’s probably no voting expert in the country more in-demand And that’s never been more true than with this, our for commentary during election season than Susan MacManus. Democracy issue. She provides a primer on the hows and whys of Florida voting, Why a focus on democracy, and why now? from the bleak days of the “white primary” to reforms that have Every issue’s theme reveals itself as we brainstorm expanded voting times and places. And Aubrey Jewett, also a noted ideas, often connected with the work and mission of Florida voting expert, examines why Florida lags behind other states in Humanities. registration and voting. Former newspaper editorial page editor One of the great strengths of this nonprofit is its Ron Cunningham tells the tale of the late State Representative partnerships in presenting enriching programs statewide. In J. Emory “Red” Cross and his unlikely crusade to pass Florida’s this endeavor, there’s no stronger partner than the Smithsonian celebrated Government in the Sunshine Law. Institution’s 25-year-old Museum on Main Street, which sends Finally, we look to today and the future with stories on top-caliber exhibits to the country’s smaller communities and civic education, civic engagement, and how we can all learn to rural areas. communicate better across our political divides. “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America,” is the latest, As we’ve woven together this issue of FORUM, we’ve come with Florida among the first to launch the exhibition, now away reawakened to how alive and fragile our evolving democracy beginning its tour of five locations around the state. is, ensured only by our participation. Like those before us, we’re The exhibit comes in a year when voting and democracy tasked with nurturing and protecting this American gift. are front and center. In 2020, we commemorate the 100th We thank you for reading — and we wish you a happy and anniversary of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to healthy 2020. vote. And there will be, of course, a presidential election, in which our state always plays a pivotal role. Within its 650 square feet, visitors will experience an interactive celebration of American democracy, meant to inspire conversation and thought as it lays out the unfolding of a government “by the people, for the people.” Jacki Levine

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FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 5 FLORIDA Humanities Today

100 years of women’s suffrage: In appreciation of those who paved the way By Florida Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee

his year marks the 100th To help ensure this significant anniversary of the passage of anniversary is celebrated across the the 19th Amendment to the U.S. state, the Florida Women’s Suffrage Constitution, which provided Centennial Commission was created Twomen the right to vote. Although the by the Florida Legislature and signed day and age when women could not into law by the governor in 2019. The vote seems unimaginable, 100 years is Commission is planning programs, events not that long ago. For many of us, our and educational initiatives around this grandmothers or great-grandmothers lived important anniversary. during this historical movement. Additionally, the Museum of Florida The women’s rights movement in the History in Tallahassee, is featuring United States began in 1848 when a group an exhibit, “Beyond the Vote: Florida of women and men met in Seneca Falls, Women’s Activism,” to commemorate New York, to discuss the status of women. the 100th anniversary of the 19th The group called for the right to vote for Amendment. By showcasing the history women. That idea, radical for the times, of the women’s rights movement and initially met with little success. women’s activism in Florida, the exhibit For more than 70 years, the suffragist tells the story of how women activists movement waged a long and difficult in Florida worked for social and political battle but it was fought with the utter and change. The exhibit, which is free and absolute conviction that women should open to the public, runs through July Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee was be full and equal citizens with the right to 25, 2021, and is well worth a trip to appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis as participate in our democracy. Tallahassee. Florida’s 36th Secretary of State. She was These women, and the men who Many local museums across the state previously a Circuit Court Judge in Florida’s supported them, paved the way not just are hosting special exhibits or programs Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough for our future, but also for the future of around the 19th Amendment anniversary County. Secretary Lee received her our children and the many generations to and I encourage all Floridians to find an bachelor’s degree and a Juris Doctorate come. I’m thankful for those women who opportunity in your community to learn from the University of Florida, where she led the way 100-plus years ago. We honor more about the storied history of this was a member of Florida Blue Key. She was them by continuing to be leaders in our historic movement and how it forever inducted into the University of Florida Hall communities and by fully participating in changed the trajectory of our state and of Fame in 1999. our democracy. our nation.

“These women, and the men who supported them, paved the way not just for our future, but also for the future of our children and the many generations to come. I’m thankful for those women who led the way 100-plus years ago. We honor them by continuing to be leaders in our communities and by fully participating in our democracy.”

6 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES Remembering David Colburn This teacher, scholar, historian believed understanding our past — and appreciating our diversity — would make us stronger together By Cynthia Barnett

he story of Florida is the story of Colburn knew that Florida’s future would America, the historian David R. depend on not only tomorrow’s leaders Colburn wrote in his last book, its in its college classrooms, but on engaged exceptional strength derived from citizens, from young people to retirees Tdiverse people and their cultures. and from multi-generation Floridians to Colburn, who died on September 18 newcomers. He loved his years as a FH “Road at the age of 76, left a legacy far beyond Scholar,” bringing what he called our shared

the University of Florida, where he served TIMES BAY OF TAMPA COURTESY PHOTO inheritance to the public with programs on as a beloved professor and in nearly history and politics. He went on to support every academic leadership role for close the mission as chairman of Florida Humanities’ to 50 years. board from 2005 until 2007, and also served In his close to two decades of service as chairman of the U.S. Federation of State to Florida Humanities, including as its board Humanities Councils in 2009, among a long chairman, he also championed community list of civic roles. engagement with the humanities. Colburn Toward the end of his life, he worried was the model public scholar. He believed a great deal about public expressions that helping citizens understand history — David Colburn was the former provost and senior denouncing racial and ethnic minorities particularly past struggles to live up to our vice president of the University of Florida. as a burden to Florida and the nation. His national ideals — would make us stronger, scholarship had shown just the opposite, better, more just. advisor to elected officials including the he reminded readers in one of the last of his Colburn’s teaching and research focused late Governor Reubin Askew and former 200-plus essays: “The nation and Florida on politics, race, and ethnicity in 20th Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham; have been greatly enriched by the nation’s century America. He spent his early years and helped lead UF for nearly half a multiplicity of people, a resultant diverse and in Florida interviewing those involved in century, from professor to provost to his dynamic economy, and an advancement, not civil rights struggles in communities such last position as director of the Bob Graham a diminishment, of the nation’s liberties.” as St. Augustine, where images of black Center for Public Service. We could do no better to honor his residents arrested and violently assaulted for Despite those demands, he always memory than by taking those words to heart. swimming at the public beach helped push had time for students — and to share his Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act. He passion for history with the public. At his revealed the stories behind the images in his UF memorial service, his fellow history Cynthia Barnett is an award-winning book Racial Change and Community Crisis: St. professor and coauthor Jeffrey S. Adler environmental writer working on her fourth Augustine, Florida, 1877-1980. Later, as one recounted the many “quiet and unpublicized book, a story of of the authors of Florida’s Rosewood Report, ways” that Colburn helped students and seashells and the an inquiry into the 1923 destruction of the colleagues succeed, building a legacy of animals that build town of Rosewood in Levy County, he helped ethical leadership at UF that radiated to them. She is a push Florida to approve unprecedented Tallahassee, Washington D.C., and other fifth-generation reparations for racial violence. parts of the world. Floridian raising a As Florida became a bellwether in the Florida Secretary of Commerce Jamal sixth generation early years of the 21st century, he helped Sowell recalled that when he was UF in Gainesville, explain the Sunshine State to the nation, student body president, Colburn “constantly where she is also and decipher the changing political winds. reminded me to always put the needs of environmental His last book, From Yellow Dog Democrats to students first.” When Sowell deployed to journalist in Red State Republicans: Florida and Its Politics Afghanistan as a Marine, Colburn, an Army residence at since 1940, showed how tremendous captain in Vietnam, wrote him letters of the University demographic shifts had brought the state encouragement. “His mentorship over the of Florida. Barnett was David Colburn’s Republican governance — and increasing years and constant academic work about the graduate student and worked with him as influence on the national stage. history of Florida gave me a new perspective an environmental fellow at UFs Bob Graham Colburn wrote or edited 14 books and on what I could achieve,” Sowell said, “and Center for Public Service. some 25 book chapters; was a trusted made me proud to be a Florida native.”

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 7 The projects and programs in FLORIDA Humanities Today are supported by Florida Humanities. More information on these projects and other FLORIDA Humanities Today funding opportunities can be found at FloridaHumanities.org Telling our state’s real stories Florida Humanities Community Project Grants share rich history and diverse cultures KARA GOLD, LLC. KARA GOLD,

Dr. Lillian Dunlap, Your Real Stories director/co-founder, speaking with Andrea Hildebran and Nadine Smith.

By Tom Scherberger

illian Dunlap and Jaye Sheldon founded Your Real Stories in 2011 based on the concept of “theatrical journalism,” using actors to tell the real stories of real people. “We’re convinced that storytelling is the vehicle that can get past barriers,” saysL Dunlap, a former TV news journalist and former professor at In communities across Florida, the University of Missouri School of Journalism and resident faculty humanities-rich programming is making a member at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg. Together they have written more than 70 theatrical productions lasting impact on Sunshine State residents based on extensive interviews of diverse subjects. In October 2019, and visitors alike. Florida Humanities is a Your Real Stories presented Marriage Stories, based on interviews with two same-sex couples. The performance, presented at the Tulley- proud partner in supporting high-quality Levine Gallery at the ArtsXchange in St. Petersburg, was supported by public programming, which celebrates the a $5,000 Community Project Grant from Florida Humanities. state we call home. The following programs The mission of Your Real Stories is to “create space for people to experience the compelling, authentic stories of real people and to represent nearly $120,000 awarded to 27 find the common threads that tie us together as human beings.” Florida organizations in summer 2019. Marriage Stories was part of the 6th Annual Story Days Tampa Bay festival presented by Your Real Stories. “It was quite successful and fun,” says Dunlap.

8 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES The Florida Humanities grant helped cover the expense of the community to discuss Space Law, complementing the museum’s hiring actors, travel, and promotion. It was part of the $118,500 in exhibit “The Moon, Stars, and Sunshine State.” Community Project Grants awarded to 27 Florida organizations Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation (Monroe) in support of vital humanities programming. Besides this direct Florida Keys History & Discovery Center Presents - $4,500 support, each organization presented a cash or in-kind match with Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation Inc. will host their project, bringing an additional $74,586 to the table which will “Florida Keys History & Discovery Center Presents,” a lecture further support local communities. series that addresses humanities issues such as local history, art, Community Project Grants provide up to $5,000 in funding to literature, and how human activity has impacted the unique Florida nonprofits and public institutions across Florida to develop and Keys environment. implement humanities-rich public programs that meet the needs of local communities. At their core, these competitive grants seek The Frank Pembroke Pines (Broward) to preserve Florida’s diverse history and heritage, promote civic Pembroke Pines Timeline and Exhibit - $5,000 engagement and community dialogue, and provide communities the The City of Pembroke Pines will create a permanent City Historic opportunity to reflect on the future of the Sunshine State. Timeline exhibit, which the City of Pembroke Pines will use to communicate its history to the community from pre-incorporation to Here are newly awarded grants, listed alphabetically by today. sponsoring organization. Friends of the Palm Beach County Library (Palm Beach) Arts Conservatory for Teens (Pinellas) Book + Art – $4,300 Dream For America: Florida’s Evolution of Social Justice - $5,000 The Friends of Palm Beach County Library will host “Book + Art” in Arts Conservancy for Teens will produce “Dream for America: partnership with the Norton Museum of Art, inviting readers and Florida’s Evolution of Social Justice,” an interactive, multi-media art enthusiasts to engage and share their thoughts on thematic workshop that examines the civil rights movement and Dr. Martin connections in an innovative hybrid book discussion and gallery talk. Luther King’s legacy, featuring oral histories from St. Petersburg Goldsboro Westside Community Historical Museum residents who participated in the movement as well as scholars who (Seminole) currently study the movement. Mrs. Allie Berry’s Quilt Code - $5,000 Aucilla Research Institute (Jefferson) The Goldsboro Westside Community Historical Museum in First Floridian Series “Old Stories and New Discoveries” – $5,000 collaboration with The Museum of Seminole County History, will The Aucilla Research Institute will host a free public conference create a unique exhibition with a panel discussion on “Mrs. Allie October 4-5 in Monticello titled, “First Floridian Series: Old Stories Berry’s Quilt Code,” telling the story of enslaved Africans who were and New Discoveries,” which brings 17 prominent scholars making public presentations as well as an exhibit on Dr. Richard Ohmes’ paintings and sculptures. Apply for a Community Project Grant Brevard County Libraries/ Eau Gallie (Brevard) Florida Humanities awards Community Project Grants to trueFLORIDA – $5,000 nonprofit organizations and public institutions across Brevard County Libraries/Eau Gallie will host trueFLORIDA, a series Florida, providing up to $5,000 in competitive funding to celebrating what it means to be a Floridian through community facilitate humanities-rich public programs that meet the conversations and book discussions that explore Florida’s history needs of local communities. At their core, these grants seek and future. to preserve Florida’s diverse history and heritage, promote Compass (Palm Beach) civic engagement and community dialogue, and provide Compass Legacy Project - $4,250 communities the opportunity to reflect on the future of the Compass, Inc. will orchestrate “The Legacy Project,” a cross- Sunshine State. To learn more about the grants program, or to generational storytelling project which pairs youth with elders in apply, please visit www.floridahumanities.org/grants. the local LGBT+ community to learn from each other’s experiences, Does your local organization culminating in a public-facing stage performance. have a bold, Egmont Key Alliance (Hillsborough) innovative project? Uncovering Egmont Key’s Hidden History: A Digital Storytelling Apply in 2020 to bring the Experience - $5,000 humanities to your community! Egmont Key Alliance, Inc. will develop a traveling touchscreen Remaining deadlines for 2020: exhibit to tell the story of Egmont Key using immersive 3D • July 22 at 12 p.m. visualizations of heritage sites, which will tour Florida at several • October 14 at 12 p.m. locations, May-December 2020. Florida Historic Capitol Museum Corporation (Leon) For more information, please contact Lindsey Morrison, The Moon, Stars, and Sunshine State Exhibit Programming - $3,000 Grants Coordinator at The Florida Historic Capitol Museum will honor the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing by hosting a special mock trial with [email protected].

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 9 The projects and programs in FLORIDA Humanities Today are supported by Florida Humanities. More information on these projects and other FLORIDA Humanities Today funding opportunities can be found at FloridaHumanities.org prohibited from drumming, speaking in their native tongues, or Ormond Beach Historical Society (Volusia) learning to read and write in English, and instead communicated Florida Speaker Program – $4,300 through quilts and songs. The Ormond Beach Historical Society will host a robust speaker Gulfport Public Library (Pinellas) program, featuring nine free public programs from authors and A Festival of Lesbian Literature” - $3,500 historians on the history and culture of Florida. Gulfport Public Library will host “A Festival of Lesbian Literature,” Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum (Miami-Dade) which brings lesbian authors to the Gulfport Public Library to MLK@TheFrost Exhibition and Educational Programming - $3,000 discuss themes of their books, and interact with the Tampa Bay Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum will support “MLK@ community. TheFrost Exhibition and Educational Programming,” an exhibit Historic Markers (Monroe) that will bring together artists and scholars with students and Key West Historic Site Walking & Biking Map - $4,000 the public for community conversations on race, diversity, Historic Markers Inc. will be updating their Key West Historic social justice and civil rights through programming grounded Site Walking & Biking Map, to feature African American and in the humanities. Cuban history through a special featured tour on these topics, as St.Petersburg Preservation (Pinellas) well as promote Florida Humanities Florida Stories App. Walkable City – $2,500 Historic St. Andrews Waterfront Partnership (Bay) Saint Petersburg Preservation (Preserve the ‘Burg) will Hurricane Michael – $3,000 redesign and reprint a popular walking tour booklet, with The Historic St. Andrews Waterfront Partnership will create the release timed with a much-anticipated presentation and and install an interpretive exhibition highlighting the stories of conversation with nationally recognized urban planner Jeff local St. Andrews community members who were affected by Speck, author of Walkable City. Hurricane Michael. Tampa Bay Times Newspaper in Education (Pinellas) John G. Riley Center & Museum (Leon) American Democracy in Florida – $5,000 Uncrowned Queens: Our Matriarchs of Courage - $5,000 The Newspaper in Education will create and print copies of a special The John G. Riley Center & Museum will produce the exhibit, publication, “American Democracy in Florida,” an original, Florida- “Uncrowned Queens: Our Matriarchs of Courage,” which focused social studies/civic educational component based around acknowledges the unique challenges many African-American the themes of the Museum on Main Street exhibit, “American women faced in America over the past century, from slavery Democracy.” through the Civil Rights Era by “crowning” thirty Leon County University of Central Florida English Department (Orange) women who, in the late 19th-early 21st century, persevered and Literature the Consoler: the Humanities as Mental Health Aid – $5,000 left their mark on society. The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees will host Lightner Museum (St. Johns) “Literature, the Consoler,” a 10-week workshop series in Lecture Series: Creative St. Augustine - $5,000 partnership with the Mental Health Association of Central Lightner Museum will host a lecture series featuring seven Florida, using literature, creative writing, and art to help distinguished artists, authors and historians who will present people in the Central Florida community experiencing mental lectures on notable individuals significant to St. Augustine health difficulties. and Florida. University of South Florida Humanities Institute Manatee Observation and Education Center (Saint Lucie) (Hillsborough) A Cultured Planet: How Humans Affected Ecosystems and How Respect and Rebellion: Tampa - $5,000 Humans Can Help Them Now - $5,000 University of South Florida’s Humanities Institute will host The Manatee Observation and Education Center will create an “Respect and Rebellion: Tampa,” a series encouraging exhibit hall and speakers series that integrates human history and political discourse, sharing political ideas, and healthy debate culture with environmental education in Saint Lucie County. of issues most central to a democratic nation. Museum of Science and History of Jacksonville (Duval) Urban Think Foundation (Orange) Legacy of Lynching: Confronting Racial Terror in America - $5,000 A Year of Burrow Press - $5,000 The Museum of Science and History of Jacksonville, Inc. will Urban Think Foundation will support “A Year of Burrow Press,” develop “Legacy of Lynching,” a new exhibit designed to provide annual programming which includes literary readings, the creation layers of historical context to the racial terror lynchings that of new literary works, and the publishing of its online journal violated Duval County between 1909 and 1925. “Fantastic Florida.” Opa-locka Community Development Corporation Writers Alliance of Gainesville (Alachua) (Miami-Dade) Sunshine State Book Festival - $5,000 Africa: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow - $2,500 The Writers Alliance of Gainesville hosted the Sunshine State Opa-locka Community Development Corporation will host “Africa: Book Festival, which brought in 70 authors to the Santa Fe Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” an exhibition that presents an College Fine Arts Hall on January 25, 2020 to celebrate Florida inter-generational dialogue between established African artists authors and stories. born on the continent and those living in the diaspora.

10 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES What we learn when Florida Talks... In its continuing commitment to highlight this diverse state, Florida Humanities creates new ‘Florida Talks’ program

lorida’s history and culture stretch back to indigenous Diane Roberts, Ph.D. groups who first settled the state thousands of years Professor of literature ago. Florida Humanities’ newest program, “Florida Talks,” and writing, Florida State offers nonprofit organizations and communities they University serveF an easy, inexpensive way to host and attend thought- “Clean, Old-Fashioned provoking presentations on this rich legacy. Hatred: The College Here are just a few of the more than 80 exciting programs being Football Tribes of Florida” brought to local Florida communities! To find out what events are The cultural importance occurring near you, just visit FloridaHumanities.org/Events. of football in Florida, from

the aftermath of the Civil War to the muti-million Martha Bireda, Ph. D. dollar machine which Director, Blanchard House shapes higher education Museum of African American in the state. History and Culture of Charlotte County Diane Roberts “African Roots in Southern Cooking” Find more speakers and programs by visiting FloridaHumanities.org/Events! Learn how enslaved Africans brought their foodways and special skills such as rice cultivation with them to Florida Interested in attending (or applying for) and the southern United States. Florida Talks? Do you know the ten foods that define Florida? Or the story Martha Bireda behind a black-market orchid-smuggling scheme in Miami? Or the culture of the Florida Seminoles, and the history (and myth) of Chief Osceola? These are examples of more than 80 Uzi Baram, Ph.D. compelling topics available through the Florida Talks program! Professor of Anthropology, Visit the easy-to-use Florida Humanities Events Calendar to find New College Director, events in your region! New College Public Archaeology Lab If you are a nonprofit organization interested in bringing these “History and Archaeology programs to your community of the Black Seminole” in fall 2020, apply by the May New research has 1 deadline (noon) by visiting changed the image of the FloridaHumanities.org/ people known as escaped FloridaTalks

slaves, Black Seminoles, PICTURES CHRIS ZUPPA BY PHOTO and free blacks, and Program Contact: provided new insights into Alex Buell, Program Coordinator Spanish La Florida as a 727-873-2001; [email protected] haven from slavery. Uzi Baram

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 11 The projects and programs in FLORIDA Humanities Today are supported by Florida Humanities. More information on these projects and other FLORIDA Humanities Today funding opportunities can be found at FloridaHumanities.org Visions of Paradise Park: Bruce Mozert’s iconic photographs capture life at a segregated African-American tourist attraction

By Victoria Billig

ruce Mozert spent 30 years as the official photographer for BRUCE MOZERT BRUCE Silver Springs, Florida’s first tourist attraction. Using the Bcrystal clear waters of the Silver River, Mozert’s iconic underwater photography pioneered the art form and created some of the most recognizable tourism photography of the mid-20th century. But he also captured invaluable images of Paradise Park, the segregated counterpart one mile downriver from Silver Springs in Marion County. Operated by African-Americans for African- Americans, the park was open from 1949-1969 and featured glass-bottom boat tours that introduced visitors to the beauty of the Silver River and served as a communal space for family gatherings, holiday celebrations and summertime recreation. Mozert was the only professional given permission to photograph Paradise An advertisement for Paradise Park by Bruce Mozert. Park, and his work captures the beauty of the park and the spirit and joy of its visitors at a time when Florida Paradise Park boat captain could be a dangerous place for African-Americans during the days of David Faison, who shared Jim Crow segregation laws. stories from his 58 years Paradise Park and Mozert’s images are what brought Lu Vickers of service between the two of Tallahassee and Cynthia Wilson-Graham of Ocala together to parks. write, Remembering Paradise Park: Tourism and Segregation in Silver Last year, “Paradise Park Springs, a book that served as basis for the exhibition “Paradise Park Remembered” was exhibited Remembered.” at Tallahassee Community Working closely with the Appleton Museum of Art in Ocala, the College Fine Art Gallery, College of Central Florida, and in partnership with Silver Springs featuring 50 of Mozert’s (now a state park), the exhibition featured 100 photographs of prints. Vickers, a faculty Paradise Park by Mozert, as well as snapshots and memorabilia member at Tallahassee from community members and Marion County Black Archives. The Community College, was exhibition debuted at the Appleton in January 2016, with a satellite co-curator and organized installation of memorabilia at Silver Springs. a lecture series in which Bruce Mozert, Courtesy of Lu Vickers. Funded in part by a Florida Humanities Community Project speakers shared their Grant, the museum presented several talks and a panel discussion recollections of the park and African-American travel. Speakers also on the historical and cultural significance of “Green Book” included Doby Flowers, who helped found the Civil Rights Institute destinations across Florida that were open to African-Americans, at Florida State University and was the school’s first African- such as American Beach near Jacksonville and Hampton House in American homecoming queen, as well as Dr. Tameka Bradley Hobbs Brownsville. Programming at Silver Springs included a talk by former who discussed her book, Democracy Abroad, Lynching at Home.

12 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES Meet Florida Humanities’

BRUCE MOZERT BRUCE new board members Reginald Ellis (Tallahassee) is assistant dean for the School of Graduate Studies & Research and associate professor of history and African- American studies at Florida A&M University. He earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from Florida A&M, and his Ph.D. in history from the University of Memphis. He serves on the Leadership Tallahassee Board of Governors, previously chaired the board of the John G. Riley House Museum, and served on the boards of the Friends of the Leon County Public Library and the American Historical Association Committee on Minority Affairs. Along with multiple publications, including two books, Dr. Ellis is a frequent speaker at conferences and events in Florida and around the nation. Makiba Foster (Plantation) is the director of the African American Research Library and Cultural Center in Fort Lauderdale. She earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in library and information studies, and a second Master of Arts in American studies at the University of Alabama. She is a member of the American Library Association, the Association of African American Life and History, and the New York Technical Services Librarians. Her work and extracurricular activities focus on the role of libraries and archives in advancing social justice. George Lange (Tampa) is the executive managing director of Slick Rock Capital Partners. He earned his Bachelor of Arts at Southeast Missouri State University, his Juris Doctorate at St. Louis University of Law, and attended the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Men and women playing basketball at Paradise Park, by Bruce Mozert. Southern Methodist University. In 1994, he retired from the Missouri Army National Guard after 23 years. A member of Leadership Florida, After Mozert passed away in 2015 at 98, his family sold his Mr. Lange’s civic involvement includes service to public broadcasting, vast, historically significant collection of negatives, photographs the arts, economic development, mental health advocacy, and as a and equipment to the Marion County government and the member and chair of the Friends of Edison Community College. College of Central Florida, which teamed with the state Division Maria Goldberg (Pensacola) is the director of Library and Information Services to purchase it. of marketing, public relations and events for Later this year, the Appleton Museum will exhibit some Great Southern Restaurants and the Merrill of its Mozert photographs, including of Paradise Park, Silver Land Company, where she also oversees Springs, and some of Mozert’s underwater advertising the organizations’ philanthropic endeavors. photographs. Check the Appleton Museum website, Previously, she was the executive director of the Bruce Mozert, Courtesy of Lu Vickers. appletonmuseum.org, for dates. Pensacola Museum of Art, and was the arts & Mozert’s legacies will live on and continue sparking culture columnist for the Pensacola News Journal. important conversations about photography, tourism and She earned her Bachelor of Arts in art history Florida’s rich and varied history. and her Master of Arts and Ph.D. in arts administration from Florida State University. She currently serves on the Board of Arts Culture Victoria Billig is the assistant director of the Appleton Museum of Entertainment, is a member of Leadership Florida, and is involved in Art at the College of Central Florida. everything arts related in Pensacola.

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 13 CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY: America’s enduring inheritance Voices and Votes: Democracy in America The Smithsonian Institution’s new Museum on Main Street exhibit is a vibrant, interactive journey through our political DNA

By Jacki Levine

uly 1776: The American It will be a year when the importance colonists – after years of of “voices and votes” will be on full dissension, boycotts and finally display. battles – proclaimed their “Democracy requires participation

freedom from Britain with OF CONGRESS OF LIBRARY COURTESY – that’s the underlying theme of the Jthe Declaration of Independence. Seven exhibit,” says Carol Harsh, associate years later, they sealed their freedom director for Museum on Main Street and when the American Revolutionary War Community Engagement, Smithsonian ended in victory. Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. The future was now truly theirs to “Participation is so essential. People need create – and that would require unceasing to make their voices heard for democracy dialogue. to evolve.” In the summer of 1787, our nation’s Four duplicate exhibits will tour founders gathered in Philadelphia to the country over the next six years. craft the framework for our fledgling The five-stop tour of Florida, one government, the U.S. Constitution. of the first in the country, begins in Created and later ratified through April in Tallahassee, then Gainesville, debate, that document has been sparking “The Manner in Which the American Colonies the Newtown community in vigorous discussion ever since. It’s what Declared Themselves Independant [sic],” London, Sarasota, Bartow, and the Little Haiti founder Alexander Hamilton called the around 1783 neighborhood in Miami. “great national discussion,” and it’s been It is inspired by “American carrying on for almost 250 years. interactive kiosks. The story unfolds Democracy, A Great Leap of Faith,” It’s that discourse – often from the early days of the American the permanent exhibit at the National enlightening, at times raucous, always colonies to today, from the Boston Tea Museum of American History in essential – that’s at the heart of living in a Party to the civil rights era and various Washington, D.C. that opened in 2017. democracy governed “by the people.” marches on Washington. “Curator emeritus Harry And it’s the animating force behind Throughout, visitors will be Rubenstein, who curated the first “Voices and Votes: Democracy in challenged to ask questions and ponder MoMS exhibit 25 years ago, thought this America,” the latest offering of the the ideas and values behind the events, would make the perfect MoMS exhibit – Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on including the concept of democracy itself. very powerful,” says Harsh. “Harry talks Main Street (MoMS) in collaboration with Now in its 25th year of bringing about democracy as a group of people state humanities councils nationwide, Smithsonian-quality programs to agreeing to govern with people they including Florida Humanities. America’s smaller cities and rural towns, don’t know, perhaps disagree with and In 650 square feet, visitors will MoMS’ latest exhibit debuts in a year that maybe don’t like.” experience a “you are there” adventure will see a presidential election and the Hence, says Harsh, the importance of of U.S.political history through displays 100th anniversary of the ratification of civic education and civil dialogue. of artifacts, drawings, photos, videos, the 19th Amendment, granting women “Woven throughout this exhibit multimedia quizzes, presentations and the right to vote. are questions like ‘What does it mean

14 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES Voices and Votes: Democracy in America

Naturalization Ceremony at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, July 4, 2013 ©THOMAS JEFFERSON FOUNDATION AT MONTICELLO

to be a American? What does it mean of the state’s political process and to be a citizen?,’” says Harsh. “ ‘Who “helps people understand why Florida’s gets to decide? Who gets to vote? How government functions in the way that it do we engage with our government? does.” The Florida tour begins there in What are the rights and responsibilities April. of citizenship?’ There’s so much “It’s a banner year, with the misunderstanding.” presidential election in 2020. It’s also When state humanities councils the 100th anniversary of the ratification around the country met with MoMs of the 19th amendment and the 20th representatives about the exhibit, anniversary of the 2000 election, in “we talked a lot about how people take which Florida played such an important for granted the idea of democracy as a part,” says Baker. TOUR SCHEDULE system of government, period,” says Alex And Florida, with its third highest April 18 – June 13, 2020 Buell, program coordinator at Florida number of electoral votes (tied with Florida Historic Capitol Museum Humanities. New York), its close elections, and its 400 S. Monroe Street, Tallahassee “But when the framers were deciding frequent challenges around ballot design, June 20 – August 8, 2020 what kind of system to build, the idea that always plays a pivotal role in the national Matheson History Museum normal people could govern themselves, political drama. 513 E. University Ave., Gainesville that notion had not existed in the world. “The Historic Capitol Museum’s There were only kings and nobility. The mission is to connect people with August 15 – October 10, 2020 title of president did not exist. A few of political institutions, so we’re trying to Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Library the founding fathers thought they would educate people about civic processes 2801 Newtown Boulevard, Sarasota call this person king. They invented the all the time – voting, running for office, October 17 – December 12, 2020 title of president because they wanted to protesting, engaging in debate, how to Polk County History Center get away from the monarchy.” state your case in a public forum.” 100 East Main Street, Bartow The timing and theme, says Tiffany And the Tallahassee museum’s December 19, 2020 – February 6, 2021 Baker, museum director of Tallahasse’s long-term exhibits includes artifacts Haitian Heritage Museum Florida Historic Capitol Museum, of previous elections referenced in the 4141 NE 2nd Ave. #105C, Miami complements the mission of her MoMS exhibit, such as the notorious museum, which interprets the history continued on page 52

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 15 CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY: America’s enduring inheritance Decisions and destiny Why early Florida picked the ‘wrong’ side in the Revolutionary War…and paid the price By Tom Scherberger The “taxation without representation” rallying lorida chose the wrong side of the Division of Anthropology and in the American Revolution. Archaeology and of the Archaeology cry didn’t resonate in the At the time the Declaration Institute at the University of West 14th and 15th colonies. of Independence was Florida. “They were all looking to make Taxes were low and there signed, Florida was divided money.’’ Finto two British colonies: West Florida, The new Florida colonists were was money to be made. centered in Pensacola, its capital lured to settle in Florida with the They wanted nothing to and including parts of what is today promise of land and low taxes.“There Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana; was an agreement in East Florida with do with revolution. and East Florida, centered in the capital Parliament: no taxes until they started St. Augustine and stretching from the making money,” says Smith. “They had wanted nothing to do with revolution. Apalachicola River to the Atlantic Ocean. a free ride.” And in West Florida, he Simply put, it was bad for business. So they There were some 10,000 colonists and says, the British looked the other way as snubbed the first Continental Congress slaves between the two colonies, plus goods were sold on the black and were not invited to the second. about 30,000 Native Americans. Britain market untaxed. Florida Loyalists fought for the Crown had taken control of the two Floridas So the in raids on Patriot forces in Georgia and from Spain only about a decade earlier “taxation without South Carolina. as part of the 1763 Treaty of Paris that representation” Those East Florida battles were ended the French and Indian War. Spain rallying cry didn’t led by Thomas Brown, the son of had largely ignored La Florida since 1513, resonate in a wealthy shipping magnate in and readily traded it away to reclaim the 14th and Britain who obtained a 5,600-acre Cuba, which it had lost to Great Britain 15th colonies. land grant near Augusta, Georgia, during the war. Taxes were in 1774. “He let it be known he was Many of the two colonies’ residents low and there the king’s man,” Smith explains. On were newcomers from Scotland and was money to Aug. 2, 1775, 100 sons of liberty from Ireland, who settled in East and West be made. They Augusta demanded he sign an oath of Florida after Spanish residents deserted loyalty to the rebellion. He refused the colonies. and was scalped, tarred and “Spain paid for virtually everyone feathered, and at least two to leave,” says Roger Smith, museum of his toes were burned director at the Ximenez-Fatio house off. He survived and in St. Augustine who has a doctorate in managed to make it history from the University of Florida to St. Augustine, and specializes in Revolutionary where he soon War-era Florida. “They didn’t want was leading people left behind.” a Loyalist While the Spanish had largely militia called ignored Florida, its new rulers the East saw opportunity. Florida “The British were Rangers. looking for what they could export out of here and make it a paying colony,” says Elizabeth D. Benchley, director WIKIA.ORG Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid, Viscount of Galveston and Count of Gálvez

16 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES He was involved in the Battle of Alligator Creek Bridge near Callahan, Florida, and the Battle of Thomas Creek near Crawford, Florida, the southernmost Decisions and destiny battle of the Revolutionary War. SMITH ROGER When news of the signing of the Declaration of Independence reached St. Augustine on August 11, 1776, angry residents burned effigies of John Hancock and Samuel Adams in the town square. For the British, the two Floridas formed a bulwark protecting its all- important Caribbean colonies and their most valuable resource, sugar. “Sugar afforded empire. It was like crude oil today,” Smith says. “Their primary interest was, don’t lose any land in the Caribbean. They saw East and West Florida as political barriers and military launching pads to reclaim the South.” And while Britain didn’t want to lose any colonies, East and West Map of East and West Florida Florida were not its crown jewels. “East and West Florida were often says, “although some did stay behind to infrastructure such as roads, bridges and the pawns of what was going on in the try to continue their trading businesses.” railroads came to Florida much later. European theater,” explains Margo But Spain maintained control of “Everything was just frozen in time as far Stringfield, an archaeologist at the West Florida until the Revolutionary as infrastructure went,” Smith says. Had University of West Florida. War ended in 1783. Britain let Spain those investments been made, trade would “For the most part, the general keep West Florida and threw in East have “increased dramatically,’’ he says, and British population of Pensacola was Florida in return for keeping Gibraltar, Florida would have become more of an more focused on improving their strategically situated at the mouth of the economic power instead of a backwater. personal situations,” Stringfield says. Mediterranean Sea. Sixteen years after becoming a state, “They were newcomers to West Florida The move stunned Loyalists. “The Florida chose the losing side again, and trying to establish themselves in a people here were gut punched,” says becoming one of the first states to secede frontier setting. Rebellion was not the Smith. “They were horrified. They from the union over slavery. first order of business.” couldn’t believe they were just tossed “We were just always on the wrong While Britain was busy attempting to over.” To Smith, the two Floridas’ side of American history,” Smith says. “It hold onto its 13 rebelling colonies, Spain decision to remain loyal shows how “we would have made a significant difference if declared war on its old enemy under the were always on the wrong side of the we had joined the Revolution.” 1779 Treaty of Aranjuez between France fence looking over.” Tom Scherberger, a communications consultant and Spain. In return for weakening Florida paid a big price for its for Florida Humanities, has worked for four Britain, Spain sought assistance from decision, he says. “We had a chance to newspapers in the state, including for 20 years France in recovering the former Spanish be one of the original 14 states, if we had at the St. Petersburg Times as state editor, possessions of Menorca, Gibraltar and just joined in the Revolution,” Smith says. Tampa city editor and editorial writer. He the Floridas. Spanish General Don Florida would eventually join the United also worked as a reporter and editor for The Bernardo de Galvez then launched the States, of course, but only after it once Orlando Sentinel biggest military engagement Florida again served as a convenient pawn, with and The Tampa would see during the Revolution. He Spain once again tossing it aside in an Tribune. He took control of several British forts on 1819 treaty with the young United States has extensive the Mississippi and northern Gulf Coast, to settle disputes about the southern experience as a including Mobile in 1779. He began a border of the Louisiana purchase. Florida freelance writer campaign in 1780 to seize Pensacola, remained a territory until it achieved and in public culminating in a siege lasting several days statehood in 1845. relations. He lives that ended when the British surrendered “Florida developed way behind the in Tampa with Fort George on May 10, 1781. “Most of other East Coast states,” Smith says. his wife, Janet the British left town or were imprisoned Because Spain didn’t invest in the two Scherberger. after the Battle of Pensacola,” Benchley colonies after winning them back, vital

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 17 CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY: America’s enduring inheritance The capital city that never was In the years before Florida became a state, the bustling town of St. Joseph had powerful ambitions...until disaster came to call. Today’s lovely Port St. Joe is a reminder of what remains.

The first St. Joseph Point Lighthouse, built in 1839, was abandoned after a yellow fever epidemic followed by a hurricane wiped out the town of St. Joseph in 1842. By Ron Cunningham PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF FLORIDA

all it the forgotten city on All of which constitutes both the scattered settlements, city fathers the Forgotten Coast with a charm and the enigma of Port St. Joe. harbored no less an ambition than to forgotten destiny. Because this small resort community become the very seat of governance for Port St. Joe is a picture has all but risen from the ashes of a much America’s newest state. postcard Gulf Coast larger city that once harbored grand “There were some very wealthy and communityC possessed of a walkable, ambitions. influential people in the city of St Joseph, old Florida-style downtown and In the years before Florida attained so there was a big push” to position it spectacular views of Cape San Blas, statehood in 1845, St. Joseph was an up- as the capital when the state was finally just across the shallow waters of a and-coming port city that aspired to be admitted into the union, says Joanna shimmering aquamarine bay. With just the next Savannah or Charleston. Already Lindsey, ranger in charge of the State more than 3,500 residents, it exudes one of the largest and most prosperous Constitutional Convention Museum, in small-town charm. settlements in then-territorial Florida, Port St. Joe. While Port St. Joe lacks the cache St. Joseph wanted to be bigger and more “It was such a booming town that it of Apalachicola, its “oyster capital” prosperous still. kind of helped in that situation. By some neighbor to the east, neither does it suffer Indeed, it is the town that birthed estimates, there were as many as 12,000 the beach-blocking high-rises and sprawl modern Florida government. The first people living there.” of Panama City to the west. state constitutional convention was held Ah, but such is the serendipitous It is, in short, a small, compact and there in 1838, a precursor to Florida’s nature of history. Far from becoming a lovely little Forgotten Coast town that admission into the union. coastal version of Tallahassee, St. Joseph time seems to have forgotten. And while playing host to delegates in relatively short order went from from around the peninsula’s widely boomtown to ghost town, only to be later

18 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES At the time of the convention, St. of the city’s grandest homes were then Joseph boasted a railroad, at least seven bought up and shipped by barge to the hotels, a newly built convention hall and hated rival city of Apalachicola. a race track. “Many of the bricks from the ruins That latter amenity, Drake noted, of the old cotton warehouse and other “attracted the sporting element of distant buildings at St. Joseph were used in the places, and with the excellent public paving of Palafox Street in Pensacola,” accommodations, including some gaming Drake recorded. “By the end of 1843 houses where liquors were imbibed in there were perhaps not more than 50 some quantities...St. Joseph soon became inhabitants at St. Joseph.” The Constitution Convention Museum State known as a fast town!” It wouldn’t be until after the turn of Park at Port Saint Joe commemorates the St. Joseph’s capital city ambitions the century that Port St. Joe began to assembly of the first Constitutional Convention PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH of this state and signing of Florida’s first were nearly foiled at the outset by take root about two miles away from old constitution at the vanished town of old St. the skeptical voters of Florida. The St. Joseph. For a time, Port St. Joe would Joseph on January 11, 1839. constitution that finally emerged from the reborn as a miniature version of itself. convention barely survived

All this due to untimely visitations of its 1839 referendum – WIKIMEDIA fever, fire, wind and financial ruin. winning by just 113 votes “By 1844 it was just a ghost town, it out of only about 4,000 peaked and just died,” Lindsey says. cast. “I don’t know that Perhaps the best account of the rise (voters) objected so much and fall of old St. Joseph was written to the contents of the in 1967 by Henry A. Drake, former constitution as to the postmaster at Port St. Joe. In 1838, ultimate goal of joining the Florida’s Territorial Council “selected union,” Lindsey said. St. Joseph over such older and larger It’s what happened cities in the territory, as Pensacola, subsequently, however, St.Augustine, and Tallahassee, as a site that sealed St. Joseph’s St. Joseph Peninsula State Park in 2010 for the drafting of a state constitution,” fate. Call it a series of he wrote. unfortunate events. also take on the trappings of a boom town, Why? Perhaps because community In 1839 a storm destroyed several as it saw mills and pulp paper companies leaders such as newspaper editor Peter buildings and blew a number of ships began to move in. But these days, it is W. Gautier, Jr. and businessmen E.J. ashore. mostly tourism that sustains the town. Wood, William P. Duval and Richard That was followed by a yellow fever The white beaches of nearby St. Joseph C. Allen were adept at playing “shrewd epidemic in 1841 that killed many Peninsula State Park attract thousands of politics” in their determination to residents and convinced many more visitors a year. promote St. Joseph. to leave town. Only an estimated 500 And while Port St. Joe largely people remained in the wake of “Yellow avoided the major damage that all but Jack’s” visit. destroyed its neighbor, Mexico Beach, Later that year, a hurricane came when Hurricane Michael came ashore ashore and did great damage. And then in 2018, that tempest arrived as the wildfires incinerated much of what latest reminder of the fragility of life on remained. a narrow, sandy spit of land that juts so All of this occurred simultaneously precariously out into the Gulf of Mexico. with a drop in cotton prices that caused Ultimately it was a former Chicago the St. Joseph and Iola Railroad to close. newspaperman who wrote St. Joseph’s “The city might have overcome and obituary. In his 1922 essay, “Old St. Jo,” survived the fever epidemic, except for George Mortimer West eulogized: the railway loss which had provided “The sun shone brightly over the transportation in world commerce wrecked ambitious work of man. Death’s through the port of St. Joseph,” Drake Angel, the hurricane, had completed the wrote. “But the city could not sustain PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH work begun by its brother, Pestilence itself under these adverse circumstances. (yellow fever), and buried beneath the Its plight was downward until its sands of the sea, or swept to the four winds complete abandonment about 1854.” of Heaven, all that remained of the proud Apalachicola Northern Railroad locomotives As if to add insult to injury, some at dock - Port Saint Joe, Florida circa 1915 young city of St. Joseph.”

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 19 CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY: America’s enduring inheritance Echoes of early Florida One family, two governors: How pivotal moments in Florida history unfolded at The Grove, Tallahassee’s home to the storied Call-Collins families — and now a museum

By Mark Hinson

ichard Keith Call, the reprimanded his fellow citizens who political and civil rights history to life. two-time territorial governor had gathered at his steps to boast that It served as home to generations of Florida, is a conundrum. despite his wishes they had won the vote of his family for nearly 170 Especially when he is viewed to secede. years – including a 20th-century through a 21st century prism. “You have opened the gates of hell, Florida governor, LeRoy Collins, RCall, a protege of Andrew Jackson, from which shall flow the curses of the husband of Call’s great was a planter who owned more than 100 the damned, which shall sink you into granddaughter, who was known as a enslaved workers on his plantations near perdition.” great proponent of civil rights. Tallahassee, yet he was also adamantly Call played a major political role in LeRoy and Mary Call Darby Collins against seceding from the Union. the fledgling state. And today, The Grove, sold The Grove to the state in 1985 for Almost 160 years later, his dramatic his majestic 19th century mansion built preservation, but the Collins family warning upon hearing the news that by enslaved workers in 1840 atop a hill in remained there until he died in 1991 Florida had seceded still reverberates: what is now the heart of Tallahassee, is a and she in 2009. They are buried in the “And what have you done?” Call museum dedicated to bringing Florida’s family plot on the property. After Mary Call Collins’ death, the state completed a multi-million dollar restoration, transforming the antebellum Call-Collins House at the Grove into a living history museum owned and operated by the state. Since opening in 2017, its mission has been to “engage the public in dialogue about civil rights and American history” and interpret the 10.5 acres of grounds and the home’s PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH collection of personal and historic artifacts. History unfolds within the walls of the house museum, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can look at the roster Governor Call kept of the slaves who toiled on his plantations, and fast forward more than a century for a guided tour of Governor Collins’ basement office, just as The Collins family, left to right: Jane, LeRoy Jr., Mary Call Darby, LeRoy, Mary Call, and Sarah (circa 1955).

20 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES The young Calls moved to Florida when it was still IF YOU VISIT overgrown and wide open. In 1824, Call bought the land What: The Grove Museum, 902 N. Echoes of early Florida that became The Grove. Monroe St., Tallahassee He also owned a plantation Cost: Free near Orchard Pond and Lake Open: 1 pm. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Jackson north of the city, Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. where he grew corn and cotton, on Saturday; closed Sunday, Monday among other things. and Tuesday “Mother always said that Website: www.thegrovemuseum.com he was trying to impress his wife’s family with The Grove,” says great-great granddaughter PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH Mary Call Collins Proctor with a laugh. Proctor is the daughter of LeRoy and Mary Call Darby Collins. “He felt the building was showing that he was responsible.” Call was a well-read Richard Keith Call - third and fifth territorial governor attorney and monied man of his day, yet by the end, he he left it. Tallahassee native Collins, was disdained by many members of his governor from 1955-1961, was credited as social class over secession. He pushed for the first Southern governor to argue for statehood as territorial governor and was

an end to segregation based on a moral a delegate to Congress but lost the first OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH imperative. election for the governor of the new state. Collins’ office includes a photo of him Then-President Jackson appointed walking beside Martin Luther King Jr. Call to the governor’s office in 1836, just during the 1965 civil rights march from in time for The Second Seminole War Selma to Montgomery. He had been sent (1835-1842). The battles are mostly A 1950s view showing a stairway in the Call- there by President Lyndon Johnson to forgotten today, but the $30 million cost Collins House at The Grove in Tallahassee. act as his mediator, but the photo was was $5 million more than the entire used against him in his unsuccessful 1968 federal budget, according to The Seminole American resistance to settlers did not run for the U.S. Senate. Wars: America’s Longest Indian Conflict, go away. Call lost his bid to be Florida’s What a history it’s been by John Missall and Mary Lou Missall. first elected governor to William Dunn More than 140 years earlier, Believing he could do a better job as a Moseley, a Democrat who took office Virginia-born Call married Mary L. commander, Call served simultaneously in 1845. Kirkman in 1824 at The Hermitage, as governor and commander of military Call was also beset by personal Andrew Jackson’s home in Nashville. The operations in Florida. He was later tragedy. He was aboard the cutter ship future president of the United States gave relieved of command by President Dallas in Apalachee Bay in late February Kirkman away at the ceremony. Call was Jackson and Benjamin F. Butler, 1836, when he was told his wife was an aide to Jackson during the War of 1812 Jackson’s acting Secretary of War. gravely ill in Tallahassee. Call rode a horse and followed “Old Hickory” to Florida in Jackson and Call were never as close 20 miles from St. Marks so furiously that 1821 when Jackson was named federal afterward. the animal dropped dead in front of The military commissioner in charge of the In 1840, Call backed Whig Party Grove. The rush was futile, though. His Florida Territory. member William Henry Harrison for wife was already dead. Mary Kirkman Call president. The Whigs had formed to was buried by torchlight in a family plot Since 2017, the Call-Collins oppose Jackson. Harrison won and within walking distance of The Grove, appointed Call to his second term as which had been designed to remind her of House at the Grove, listed territorial governor in 1841. Harrison The Hermitage. Two daughters survived on the National Register of served for only a month before to adulthood. succumbing to pneumonia. The political whirlwind and upheaval Historic Places, has been a Call’s territorial governorship on the eve of the Civil War was the final state-owned and run living was also occupied with bank failures phase for Call. and the 1840s Depression. The Native history museum. continued on page 53

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By Danielle Allen

an the Declaration sentence, every word, in the Declaration, of Independence, I believe that the second sentence an old text, a dusty ultimately delivers in compact form inheritance, help us the core of what one needs to know to in any way with our understand the agency and responsibility current civic perplexities? Can it of democratic citizens and the C importance of constitutional democracy show us a way forward for reform of our political institutions? to human flourishing. Can it help us rebuild our James Wilson, who signed the commitment to constitutional Declaration and the Constitution, who was a lead drafter of the Constitution democracy and one another? Yes, via service on the Committee of Detail, I believe it can do all these things. and who was as well-regarded as James Madison for his historical and Many people would respond to the theoretical knowledge, argued for the question of whether the Declaration is Thomas Jefferson new Constitution in the Pennsylvania relevant now with an emphatic “No!” while women went unmentioned? Did ratification debates with reference to the Questions rise immediately. Was not it not underwrite genocide of Native Declaration’s second sentence. its lead drafter, Thomas Jefferson, an Americans by castigating “merciless On Dec. 4, enslaver? Did the Declaration not invoke Indian savages”? 1787, he recited it a principle of all “men” being equal, I will tackle these points about the in full: fraught and still unreconciled nature of “We hold Danielle Allen, our shared inheritance. But first I ask you these truths to James Bryant to ruminate with me on the Declaration’s be self-evident, Conant University value. We will come to see that its value that all men are Professor at is in fact closely connected to precisely created equal; Harvard University, where the founding generation made that they are and director of their most fundamental and far-reaching endowed by Harvard’s Edmond mistakes. If we can see both the value and their Creator J. Safra Center for the precise nature of their mistakes, we with certain Ethics, is a political position ourselves to build something unalienable theorist who has that was unimaginable to almost all rights; that published broadly of them: a multi-racial constitutional among these Justice James Wilson in democratic democracy that delivers safety and are life, liberty, theory, political sociology, and the history of happiness to a symphonically diverse and the pursuit of happiness; that, to political thought. She is the author of many community of free and equal citizens. secure these rights, governments are books including Our Declaration: A Reading Because their mistakes are these days instituted among men, deriving their just of the Declaration of Independence in exceptionally clear to us, I start with the powers from the consent of the governed; Defense of Equality (2014), Education and value, which we have lost sight of. that, whenever any form of government Equality (2016), and Cuz: The Life and Times While I argue at length in my book, becomes destructive of these ends, it is the of Michael A. (2017). Our Declaration, for the value in every right of the people to alter or abolish it,

22 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES or lack thereof of their government and propose changes. First, they must lay the WIKIMEDIA IMAGES foundation for the world they want on principle or shared values. Second, they must organize the powers of government. They have to figure out how to design or redesign political institutions so that they deliver a world in which our shared values are prioritized. How do we go about having conversations with fellow citizens about shared values? Simply put, we have to pick up the conversation about rights started in the Declaration itself and revisit the question of what we take to be fundamental. “Life, Painting of the Signing of the Constitution by Howard Chandler Christy, with George Washington on the platform and Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin and James Madison seated left to right in the foreground liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” are among the rights we all and institute new government, laying premises. The boiled down version is: hold, as the Declaration puts it. But this its foundation on such principles, and (premise 1) people have rights (some suggests a question. What else belongs on organizing its powers in such forms, as to examples include life, liberty, and the this list? The Declaration provides only a them shall seem most likely to effect their pursuit of happiness); (premise 2) set of examples, not an exhaustive count. safety and happiness.” people build governments to secure It is telling us that we have to think for Then he continued: “This is the their rights; and (conclusion) when ourselves. broad basis on which our independence governments aren’t securing their rights, So how do we think about our was placed: on the same certain and solid it’s the right of the people to change their basic rights now? Where does health, foundation this system is erected.” governments. The logical relationship for instance, fit in? We can answer the We infrequently take in the whole among all five clauses, linking premises question about our shared values only majestic sweep of this sentence, so pause to conclusion, is the source of the “self- through conversation. We should take now to note how its careful construction evidence” invoked in the sentence. the time with one another to get a clearer creates what philosophers would call The sentence ends on a rousing sense of our own personal values, and a syllogism, an argument in which the conclusion that citizens have a two-part how they relate to some shorter list conclusion necessarily follows from the job when they diagnose the success of values that we might all share as

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the count, that voter’s vote rolls over to their 2nd choice. No candidate wins until they’ve gotten an actual majority of the votes. There are surely many other ideas and possibilities, and it’s time for conversation about them. Thinking about political institutions and processes isn’t nerdy. It’s the first job a democratic people undertakes to claim and wield our legitimate power. We the people can wield our power not just when we vote but, even more fundamentally, to redesign how we vote and thereby increase the capacity of our institutions to deliver our safety and happiness. If we believe that polarization now undermines our happiness, there are remedies. members of a constitutional democracy members of Congress. Notoriously, the All that, then, from the Declaration (for instance, equality, rule of law, liberty very same Americans who disapprove of Independence, which enjoins us to and justice for all; honesty and integrity; of Congress generally tend to approve alter our government when necessary, by a list of basic rights). Only through of their own member of Congress. Our laying the foundation of our alterations conversational work of this kind — problem with Congress is actually not on principle and re-organizing the citizen to citizen — can we maintain the a question of the people in Congress. powers of government so as to deliver on foundations of constitutional democracy. It’s rather a question of how we go our principles. The Declaration steers Then there is our second job: figuring about electing them. Our first-past- our attention to democracy itself, and out how the powers of government the-post elections incentivize negative teaches us how to prioritize preservation can best be organized to deliver on our campaigning, efforts to suppress the of our constitutional democracy. This is shared values and secure our rights. turn-out of the other side, and scorched- its ongoing value. The founding generation never believed earth politics directed at extremes of But what about its flaws? What about that they had worked out a once-and- political viewpoint. It doesn’t have to be that enslaver, Thomas Jefferson? A for-all solution to how our political this way. few simple things should be said off the institutions should be structured. They If we want a national legislature that bat. Jefferson did use the word “men” imagined every generation would take can do a better job of finding a moderate in a universalist way to mean “human responsibility for this question, and and middle path in solving our national being.” We know this because his draft of ours has work to do. Congress’ approval dilemmas, we need a different approach the Declaration also included a passage rating hit 9 percent in 2013 and now to how we vote. We need to reorganize criticizing King George for the trade in fluctuates around 20 percent, according the powers of government, just as the enslaved people. Jefferson lambasted to polling conducted by the Gallup Declaration proposes. the auctions where “MEN,” which he organization. This is an alarm bell for wrote out in all caps, were bought and any constitutional democracy, for the What can we do now to address our current woes? sold. Of course, auctioneers didn’t traffic legislative branch is the first branch. It only adult males, but also women and A whole host of ideas is on the table: is discussed in Article I, the very first children. The “MEN” Jefferson wrote creating a state or national holiday for section of the Constitution, for a reason. out there referred to all the human voting, holding open primaries where the Our national legislature has the job of beings being bought and sold, regardless rapidly growing number of independent articulating the will of the people. The of gender or age. The word has the same voters can choose a party primary to executive branch has no work to do meaning in the phrase, “all men are exercise their voting rights, expanding until the people have spoken through its created equal.” early voting opportunities, assuring legislature. Only after the people speak, What’s more, Jefferson was the that ex-felons who have met their does the executive have a job, namely to lead drafter of the Declaration, but court obligations have the opportunity execute that will. The executive therefore he served on a committee otherwise to vote, setting up independent comes second, in Article 2. Everything populated by people with different nonpartisan redistricting commissions, flows from the people, embodied in our views about slavery, including both and establishing ranked-choice voting, representative legislature. John Adams, from Massachusetts, and which permits a voter to vote for their The fact that we do not approve of Benjamin Franklin, from Pennsylvania. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice candidate, and so the job Congress is doing should cause us John Adams never enslaved people on. If the voter’s first choice candidate all deep concern. But that doesn’t mean and thought enslavement was wrong. we should pivot immediately to blaming is a low-vote getter and drops out of

24 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES Benjamin Franklin had, earlier in his life, but could do so in ways that would been an enslaver, but he had repudiated protect the rights of all. the practice and by this time was working WIKIMEDIA IMAGES Abigail’s letter expressed skepticism to end enslavement. of this view, and cited the historical Their anti-slavery views show up failure of husbands to exercise power in the phrase, “life, liberty, and the appropriately in relation to wives. She pursuit of happiness.” Indeed, we owe warned that if the decision to lodge the word “happiness” to John Adams. all the power in the hands only of men The phrase would more conventionally were to fail once again, and to lead to the have ended in the word “property,” abuse of power, women would “foment a but by spring of 1776 in the colonies, rebellion” seeking an end of world where the defense of property rights had women had “no voice or representation.” become closely linked to a defense of In other words, Abigail was putting enslavement. As articulated in his April her finger on exactly the mistake made by 1776 essay, “Some Thoughts Concerning the founding generation. They believed Government,” Adams developed an that it was possible to recognize and alternative conception for what should secure rights for all even while putting motivate a shared effort to build free self- power in the hands only of some. Abigail government and he prioritized the word knew the truth. Unchecked power “happiness.” Abolitionists soon picked over others leads to abuse. Only with up on the Declaration’s language and inclusive voice and power would political drew on it as part of an effort to bring an institutions ever be able to deliver on a end to enslavement. By 1783, even before foundation of principle committed to the the drafting of the Constitution, they basic human rights of all. had achieved success in Pennsylvania, In those early days, then, Abigail Massachusetts, and Vermont. could already identify how the Still, even if some of the key drafters foundation of principle would need of the Declaration genuinely thought that reform. Alongside the principle of all human beings have basic rights, and Abigail and husband John Adams rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of even if they were able to act enough on happiness, she insisted that all people this belief to end enslavement in three would also need a right to participate former English colonies by 1783, they did both white and black. in wielding power through political erect in the Constitution a hierarchical To both Abigail and James, John institutions. Political institutions form of power. Even if all had basic Adams gave a similar answer. He affirmed would have to rest on a principle of human rights, only some had access to that the new polity would protect the participatory inclusion. To this day, we power. What about that? rights of life and liberty of all. In other have not yet succeeded in redesigning In the spring of 1776, Abigail Adams words, he asserted that the foundation our political institutions to reflect that wrote to her husband John Adams of principle was meant to embrace additional principle of a right for all to to inquire about the progress of the everybody. But then he turned to the share in power. This is what we have revolution and the place of women question of power, and its organization. the chance to do now by embracing in it; politician James Sullivan wrote Here, he acknowledged, he and his fellow electoral reform. similarly to Adams to inquire about the politicians were not willing to give up The Declaration of Independence place of people without property in the what he called their “masculine system.” directs our attention, then, to the two key newly forming polity. Adams understood They would insist that white men of tasks of the citizens of a constitutional Sullivan to be inquiring about laborers property would wield the levers of power democracy – laying the project of our democracy on a foundation of shared principle and organizing the powers of Danielle Allen to speak on the Declaration of Independence government to deliver on it. The mistakes made by the founding generation resided When: Tuesday, October 13 at 7 p.m. in their assessment of what power Book signing will follow her speech exclusively held could deliver for those Where: Augustus B. Turnbull III Conference Center outside the circle of power-sharing. It Florida State University, Tallahassee is our responsibility to correct their Sponsored by: Florida Humanities and The Mellon Foundation mistake and achieve genuine power- Florida Humanities thanks the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for its generous sharing throughout our institutions — support of this initiative and the Pulitzer Prizes for its partnership. civic and political – so as to set our sights Additional details are available at FloridaHumanities.org once again on a more perfect union.

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How five documents — crafted at pivotal moments in Florida’s Our evolving history — chronicle the growing pains and changing realities of our complicated state

constitutions PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF FLORIDA By Mary E. Adkins

lorida has had five constitutions in 182 years, each reflecting the changing political and cultural landscape of its time. The Ffirst was crafted in 1838, before Florida became a state of the Union; the second, adopted in 1861, declared Florida’s secession from that very Union. After the Confederacy lost the Civil War, the Reconstruction government controlling Florida’s government imposed a constitution in 1868 that allowed black men to vote, desegregated schools, and provided for nearly every state office to be appointed – a way to keep Northern Reconstructionists in control and empower freedmen.

Members of the Florida Senate gather for a group portrait in 1885 on the capitol steps in Tallahassee. Mary Adkins is a professor H.W. Chandler is identified in the sixth (back) row, second from left. The freeborn Maine native had of legal writing and been elected in 1880 from the 19th district comprising Marion County. appellate advocacy at the But Reconstruction ended, and the Chandler, was a freeborn Maine native University of Florida Levin white segregationists grabbed back who had taught at historically black College of Law. Professor control of the government in Florida Howard University in Washington D.C. Adkins has researched and the other former Confederate Another, Thomas V. Gibbs, was a lawyer the history of the 1968 states. A priority for them was to and son of the late Secretary of State Florida Constitution draft a new constitution that Jonathan C. Gibbs. Gibbs did his and its revisions, and in would place power back into best to rally the Republicans to 2016 published the book, the hands of local whites and block a poll tax – a fixed amount Making Modern Florida: out of the hands of blacks and levied on every adult, often How the Spirit of Reform Shaped a New Northerners. tied to the right to vote – from Constitution (University Press of Florida). Even so, the 108 the new Constitution, knowing She has presented on Florida Constitution delegates who comprised the it would disenfranchise many revision throughout the state, including constitutional convention in blacks. His effort failed. The only consulting regarding the most recent 1885, elected locally under bone thrown to black Floridians constitution revision. Her next book is a the inclusive voting in the entire Constitution biography of America’s Lawyer, Chesterfield provisions of the 1868 Smith. Prior to joining UF Law, she worked in Constitution, included private practice. She earned her B.S.J., M.A., seven black men. Thomas V. Gibbs — and J.D. from the University of Florida. Jacksonville, Florida. One of them, H.W.

26 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES was a provision for separate but equal every 60 years.) Cities and counties straitjacketed into inflexibility, that schools. Even this was characterized by had no authority to govern themselves became the single largest roadblock a newspaper editor as “confiscat[ing]” beyond routine matters contained in a for Florida’s citizens to influence their state property to “educate the Negro.” charter granted by the Legislature. Any government. The districting system decision to build a new police station, for couldn’t accommodate rapid changes in 1885: A constitution for example, could be accomplished only by population. When the apportionment a small state the Legislature. So when the Legislature was set up in 1885, most of the legislative The 1885 Florida Constitution met every other year, it was clogged districts were in the north, then home controlled the structure of state with local bills that desperate cities to the greatest population. Fewer were government until 1968. That and counties needed. As a result, little needed in 1885 for the southern part of Constitution governed a state with work of statewide importance could be the peninsula. The Constitution also a population of about 300,000, most accomplished. limited the number of representatives a of whom lived within 50 miles of the The judicial system was a patchwork county could have to three and mandated Georgia or Alabama border. Miami of clashing courts. Although a bare set that every county has at least one did not yet exist, although a Seminole of uniform trial and appellate courts representative. Wars military base, Fort Dallas, lay on existed, the Constitution allowed for the banks of the Miami River. Blacks other courts to be added by statute, and Representing a surging comprised 47 percent of the population, those courts did not have to be consistent population and Native Americans just 0.1 percent, statewide. Escambia County alone had Over time, Florida’s population according to census figures. Automobiles 15 different kinds of courts, and a court zoomed. The short-lived 1920s land had just been invented. Homes did not called, for example, Civil Court of Record boom brought people rushing to South yet have electricity. The 1885 Constitution barred felons from voting; mandated segregated schools; removed the explicit guarantee that black men could vote; instituted a voting poll tax; banned mixed-race marriages “forever”; and created a diffuse power system. For example, the governor could not serve more than one full term and had no lieutenant governor. In contrast, the attorney OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH general, agriculture commissioner, education commissioner, insurance commissioner, comptroller, and secretary of state, all also elected statewide, could succeed themselves indefinitely. This situation led to an unusually weak This fishing camp of Raeburn C. Horne of Madison was located near Nutall Rise. It was the favorite governor: No matter meeting place for the Pork Chop Gang. what any governor tried to accomplish, if cabinet in Escambia might have an entirely Florida. After World War II, former members disagreed, they could simply different type of jurisdiction than a court soldiers flocked with their families to wait, like alligators sunning themselves with the same name in a different county. the land of sunshine where they had on a stream bank, as one powerless Judges did not have to have law degrees. trained before going abroad to fight. governor after another bobbed by every In some locations, judges were paid That postwar swell never stopped; four years. according to the amount of the fees they Florida’s population surged from 1.9 The Legislature met only every two charged litigants. million in 1940 to 2.8 million in 1950, years, and for only 60 days. (Wags would But it was the legislative districting 4.9 million in 1960, and 6.8 million in say it should instead meet for two days scheme, accurate for its time but 1970. Miami-Dade County alone more

To read this story with footnotes, please visit Floridahumanities.org

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than doubled its population in each practiced by bringing state projects into years.” He challenged them to keep decade between 1880 and 1930, and their districts. trying until they knew they had done again between 1950 and 1960. Voting The Pork Choppers were not focused their best to create a constitution patterns revealed growing numbers on what the city dwellers were doing worthy of the promise of their state. The of Republicans, though conservative in Miami, Tampa, or Palm Beach. They draft the CRC finally agreed on did not Democrats still held all the power. wanted to preserve the rural beauty that accomplish all of Smith’s goals. It did not But the confining districting provided hunting and fishing throughout ban discrimination based on sex in its list scheme meant that, even as South the state and fostered agricultural of conditions for which “no person shall Florida boomed, Miami-Dade (then interests such as beef and citrus. Pork be deprived of any right,” and it did not just Dade) County could have no Choppers were intimately involved with propose breaking up the potent Cabinet. more than three representatives, the land. According to Morris’ The Florida But it was a big step forward. while every lonely county in the Handbook, most of them made their living In November 1966, Claude Kirk was interior and in the Panhandle kept at in cattle, timber, or farming. elected governor, the first Republican least one. Nothing was going to change since Reconstruction. Kirk, a U.S. Marine The rural concentration of state unless the Constitutional restraints on and an insurance executive, had no power meant that urban needs went apportionment could be lessened. But that experience in government. Even so, he neglected. Allen Morris, author of The was easier said than done. The only way spent three weeks between his election Florida Handbook, published every to change the Constitution, short of a full and inauguration sitting in on the final legislative session, reported that in 1955, constitutional convention, was through the sessions of the CRC, watching the action. a group of rural legislators took a blood Legislature, and the Legislature contained The CRC then prepared its draft oath at a fishing camp at Nutall Rise on the very people who stood to lose by the of the modern Constitution for a new, the Aucilla River in North Florida to vote change. Governor LeRoy Collins formed involuntarily evolving Legislature. together to preserve the “Southern way constitution revision committees, in 1955 During the previous three years, of life” — segregation, rural interests, and 1958, but all they could do was submit the Legislature had experienced two and minimal government. They became their recommendations to the Legislature – U.S. Supreme Court-mandated post- known as the Pork Chop Gang, so named which ignored or distorted them. apportionment elections in addition for the pork-barrel politics the group It took the United States Supreme to the usual general election. Many Court to begin to break up the logjam. members of the Pork Chop Gang were When it began requiring fair districting gone, and the Legislature was filled — the one-person, one-vote standard with novices. Governor Kirk stunned — in the first half of the 1960s, Florida’s those new legislators by calling a special Legislature finally saw the handwriting session, with almost no advance notice, on the wall. This time, it passed a bill to adopt the new Constitution. authorizing a Constitution Revision But the very day that special session Commission (CRC). The risk of real change started, the Supreme Court again was low, after all. They could still ignore its sent a bolt of lightning into Florida’s recommendations if they wished. Capitol. It declared even the new legislative apportionment scheme On the brink of a new invalid and called for the Florida federal constitution court to reapportion Florida. That Governor Haydon Burns appointed apportionment was accomplished by former Florida Bar president Chesterfield University of Florida political science PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH Smith, of Bartow in Polk County, to lead the professor Manning Dauer, who had filed Commission. Smith’s only elected position a friend-of-the-court brief proposing a had been a brief and early stint as a city mathematically equal apportionment commissioner. he had worked out on his living-room But given the power to imagine a floor using pencils and adding machines. brand-new Constitution for a growing After this final apportionment, another state, Smith’s vision soared far beyond statewide election was held just four his small town and his small, but growing, months after the previous election. law firm. Smith wanted to completely By the time this newly reapportioned reimagine the Constitution — to organize Legislature returned to Tallahassee it logically, to include egalitarian language, in April 1967, it looked much different to give power to the citizenry and remove than before. Though still almost all the hold of the Pork Chop Gang, to shatter white and nearly all male, it had younger When former Florida Bar president Chesterfield Smith was selected to head the Constitution the Cabinet’s power, and strengthen the members. It had the most Republican Revision Commission, his goal was to Governor. He cajoled his commissioners members since Reconstruction, with an completely reimagine the Constitution. to “worry about my state for the next 100 almost-unheard-of 19 senators to the

28 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES What a new could be amended in more ways than in constitution any other state. While the Legislature meant kept the power to amend, the option The Constitution for a full constitutional convention was and the Legislature “reserved to the people.” A citizens’ restructured the initiative process allowed citizens to sign executive branch, petitions to place matters on the ballot. reducing the number And this Constitution contained a never- of departments and before-seen body: an automatically formalizing the role of recurring Constitution Revision Cabinet members over Commission (CRC) charged with those departments. reviewing the Constitution 10 years after PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH It gave the governor its adoption and every 20 years after that. a lieutenant and the That Commission has the power ability to serve two to place its proposals directly before terms. The Legislature the voters. Its members are appointed still met for 60 by the governor, the leader of each days, but now met house of the Legislature, and the annually rather than chief justice. The attorney general As governor-elect, Claude Kirk took great interest in the work of the biannually, so it had is a member automatically. Because Constitution Revision Commission, sitting in on the final sessions. more time to get the it has the power to amend the whole state’s work done. Constitution, this group provides a Democrats’ 29. And it was far more urban Fair apportionment meant that the midway point between the piecemeal than before. Dade County had many needs of every region were considered. nature of citizens’ initiatives and the representatives. Rural Northern Florida Importantly, the new Constitution earth-scorching nature of a full-blown had far fewer. allowed home rule by counties and constitutional convention. While the This Legislature was motivated and cities. The option for localities to rule Legislature also can amend large parts responsive to the needs of a growing themselves meant that far fewer local of the Constitution, only the CRC has state. In the Senate, Reubin Askew of matters went before the Legislature, constitution revision as its sole job. Pensacola and Lawton Chiles of Lakeland leaving lawmakers In recent decades retained their seats. In the House, free to handle another way to amend Speaker Ralph Turlington and the young statewide issues has been added to Dick Pettigrew of Miami kept their and residents able the Constitution: seats. All had served on the CRC. In the to shape their own the Tax and Budget House of Representatives, Bob Graham local laws. Reform Commission. and “Sandy” D’Alemberte, who had just The uniform It, too, consists of a been elected in the 1966 regular election, court system body of appointed survived the special post-apportionment meant that anyone members called for election to stay in place. Eddie Gong, with business in the sole purpose of the first American of Chinese descent the courts had constitution revision, to serve in the Florida Legislature, a predictable but is restricted to was reelected. All worked to adapt and system: considering only tax approve the new Constitution. circuit courts and budget-related had uniform

The Legislature put the new OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH issues. It, too, meets Constitution on the ballot with only a jurisdiction automatically every few changes to the CRC proposals, but throughout the 20 years. without a modernization of the Florida state, and judges The Florida court system. The voters approved it in had to have a Constitution’s framers 1968. Four years later, in 1972, the voters legal education Manning Dauer intentionally made adopted the only remaining missing and a modicum of it easy for its citizens piece, the article setting up a new judicial legal experience. Judges were chosen on to amend. Some may feel the fluidity is system. Dempsey Barron from the merit as well as by election, but judicial destabilizing and our state’s Constitution Senate and Sandy D’Alemberte and his elections were nonpartisan. The school should be harder to change; others legislative chief of staff Janet Reno from system was organized uniformly and was believe we need a new Constitution the House had crafted it. Florida could open to all races equally. altogether. The Florida Constitution, by finally say it had joined the 20th century. And the Constitution placed its own its nature, allows us, as Florida’s citizens, future into the hands of its people. It to make that decision.

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FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 29 New Year. New Name. New Ways to Give.

Big news! After more than 45 years, the Florida From our walking tour app and our exhibition partnership Humanities Council is now Florida Humanities with the Smithsonian Institution, to our family literacy and we’ve got a great new look to celebrate. We programs in public libraries, Florida Humanities is the only organization of its kind dedicated to bringing the believe our refreshed name and colorful new logo humanities to every Floridian, wherever located, from the better reflect what we’ve become since 1973—a Panhandle to the Keys. more engaged and active provider of high-quality Read more about the many compelling programs we support public humanities programs and resources in by browsing FORUM magazine or visiting our new website. communities statewide. We’ve even made it easier than ever to show your support of Florida Humanities by creating new giving opportunities While we may have a new look, we remain passionately including recurring gifts and a planned giving program. committed to sharing Florida’s stories by promoting a better understanding of the state’s history, literature and culture. So join the statewide movement! We accomplish our mission—and do our best work— by supporting public libraries, museums and historical societies Engage, Participate and Give Today! in the many unique Florida communities you call home. floridahumanities.org/support

HUMA DA N I IT Donate to our 2020 “Sustainer” Challenge R I O E To celebrate the new year and our ongoing commitment to the public humanities in L S F Florida, we are excited to announce our 2020 Humanities “Sustainer” Challenge. Our goal is to welcome 200 new donors this year who are committed to giving just $20 a month. When you make a monthly recurring gift of $20 or more, your dollars will be immediately put to work supporting our humanities partners and programs across Florida. Can we count on your to reach this important goal? 2 0 L 0 A floridahumanities.org/support D O O N O R G Celebrating 75 New Year. New Name. New Ways to Give. years of excellence in book publishing Big news! After more than 45 years, the Florida From our walking tour app and our exhibition partnership Humanities Council is now Florida Humanities with the Smithsonian Institution, to our family literacy Short takes on ve centuries After Hurricane Maria, a and we’ve got a great new look to celebrate. We programs in public libraries, Florida Humanities is the of history community comes together only organization of its kind dedicated to bringing the Paper $24.95 Hardcover $24.95 believe our refreshed name and colorful new logo humanities to every Floridian, wherever located, from the better reflect what we’ve become since 1973—a Panhandle to the Keys. more engaged and active provider of high-quality Read more about the many compelling programs we support public humanities programs and resources in by browsing FORUM magazine or visiting our new website. communities statewide. We’ve even made it easier than ever to show your support of Florida Humanities by creating new giving opportunities While we may have a new look, we remain passionately including recurring gifts and a planned giving program. committed to sharing Florida’s stories by promoting a better understanding of the state’s history, literature and culture. So join the statewide movement! We accomplish our mission—and do our best work— by supporting public libraries, museums and historical societies Engage, Participate and Give Today! in the many unique Florida communities you call home. floridahumanities.org/support

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HUMA DA N I IT Donate to our 2020 “Sustainer” Challenge R I O E To celebrate the new year and our ongoing commitment to the public humanities in L S F Florida, we are excited to announce our 2020 Humanities “Sustainer” Challenge. Our goal is to welcome 200 new donors this year who are committed to giving just $20 a month. The Miami River Greenway The surprising story of How tourism shaped the A Southern journalist The wild and wacky When you make a monthly recurring gift of $20 or more, your dollars will be immediately and other trailblazing Florida’s Japanese settlers Sunshine State and the civil rights stories behind the put to work supporting our humanities partners and programs across Florida. projects Paper $19.95 Paper $19.95 movement symbols that de ne us Can we count on your to reach this important goal? Hardcover $28.95 Paper $21.95 Hardcover $19.95 2 0 L 0 A floridahumanities.org/support D O O N O R G university press of florida 800.226.3822 | upress.ufl.edu @floridapress CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY: America’s enduring inheritance Exploring Florida’s dynamic — and dramatic — voting history Reforms in the way we vote follow demographic, technological, and political changes Dr. Susan A. MacManus is a University of South Florida Distinguished University By Susan A. MacManus Professor Emerita in the Department of Government and International Affairs, School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies. MacManus eforming the way we vote voters is nonwhite. The third largest received her M.A. has been a constant reality state has become the nation’s most from the University throughout the Sunshine evenly divided politically, with of Michigan and State’s history, paralleling statewide elections won with a mere Ph.D. from Florida changes in Florida’s size 1 percent margin of victory (a half State University. andR population makeup. In 1840, five percent in 2018). MacManus has years before becoming the nation’s 27th Dramatic changes in Florida’s authored or co- state, Florida’s population was 54,477. population and partisan makeup, authored numerous This year it is projected to be more than along with constantly evolving publications on 21.5 million. technology, have greatly impacted Florida politics, It is hard to overstate the transition who can vote, how they vote, including Florida’s Florida has undergone. In the years and how votes are counted Minority preceding the rapid influx of newcomers and certified. Trailblazers: from the Northeast, Midwest, and Historically, major pushes for The Men and Latin America, the state was described change have followed civil rights Women Who Changed the Face of Florida by historian David Colburn as one of protests and lawsuits against Government, Politics in Florida, Ten Media the nation’s poorest. Politically, power exclusionary and discriminatory Markets, One Powerful State, Young v. rested in the hands of conservative practices limiting eligibility Old: Generational Combat in the 21st white Democrats. and participation of minorities, Century? and Targeting Senior Voters. Today, Florida’s electorate is racially/ often resulting in constitutional MacManus and her mother, Elizabeth, ethnically diverse. More than one-third amendments, congressional acts, authored two local Florida history books: of the state’s 13.5 million registered and U.S. Supreme Court rulings. Citrus, Sawmills, Critters & Crackers: Early More recently, results of close Life in Lutz and Central Pasco County and Going, Going, Almost Gone: Lutz-Land Florida is the nation’s most politically competitive state O’ Lakes Pioneers Share Their Precious Memories. She is a native Floridian from a citrus-growing family. From 1998 to 2015, Florida voter registration 1972–September 2019 she served as political analyst for WFLA News 100 Channel 8 (Tampa’s NBC affiliate). Since 90 2016, she has been the political analyst for 80 ABC Action News (Tampa’s ABC affiliate).

70 She is a featured columnist on sayfiereview. Democrats com — a widely read Florida-based political 60 website. MacManus has appeared on every 50 major broadcast and cable television and Republicans 40 radio network and been interviewed by major 30 newspapers in Florida, the U.S., and abroad.

Source: Florida Division of Elections. Florida Source: She chaired the Florida Elections Commission 20 NPA/Minor party from 1999-2003 and is Florida’s most-quoted 10 Percent of Registered Voters (%) Voters of Registered Percent political scientist. MacManus is not affiliated 0 with any political party. 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2019

NOTE: DATA ARE AS OF DECEMBER OF EACH YEAR. SOURCE: FLORIDA DIVISION OF ELECTIONS.

32 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES who registered and were elected to office Exploring Florida’s dynamic — during Reconstruction were Republicans. Democrats throughout the South moved to stymie black registrations. In 1901, Florida created the white primary, and dramatic — voting history allowing only white people to participate in Democratic Party primaries — the winners of which were virtually guaranteed to win in the general election. Not until 1944, when the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed the white primary in PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH Smith v. Allwright, were any blacks registered as Democrats in Florida. Literacy tests & the Grandfather Clause In 1915, the Florida Legislature enacted a literacy test. A clause stated that any person who had a relative eligible to vote on January 1, 1867, did not have to take the test. Because no blacks were voting that far back, all had African Americans and whites voting together in the Democratic primary for the to pass the test, which very few could do gubernatorial election, Tallahassee, May 1956. and thus most were ineligible to register. elections have exposed shortcomings color, the 19th (1920) gave women the Such tests were banned by the federal in procedures related to registration, vote, and the 26th (1971) lowered the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (amended in ballot formats, voting equipment, polling voting age from 21 to 18. Today, more 1970, 1975, 1982, 1992, and extended to locations and staffing, vote counts, and than a third of Florida’s registered voters 2006 until 2031), on the heels of the Civil certification of results. National news are nonwhite, more than half are women, Rights Act of 1964. coverage of major problems has speeded and nearly a third are Millennials and up reforms by the Florida Legislature, Coverage of language Gen Zers. minorities the Florida Division of Elections, and the Under current Florida law, to be The 1975 VRA revision added state’s 67 county supervisors of elections. eligible to register to vote you must: Hispanics and other language minorities, WHO CAN VOTE? • Be a citizen of the United States; which had a huge impact in Florida, with • Be a legal resident of Florida; its wide language diversity. Section 203 Scholars Frances Fox Piven and • Be a legal resident of the county in of the law required that jurisdictions Richard A. Cloward clearly lay out the which you seek to be registered; with specified language characteristics vital importance of voting: • Be at least 16 years old to preregister provide language assistance on voting “For our democracy to thrive, the or at least 18 years old to register materials and instructions during freedom to vote must be fiercely protected and vote; elections. For the 2018 election, 13 for all citizens, regardless of class or • Not be a person who has been counties were required to have election privilege. The right to vote provides the adjudicated mentally incapacitated materials in Spanish and/or Creole. foundation that makes all other rights with respect to voting in Florida or Florida’s Hispanic population possible.” any other state without having the continues to grow and for the 2020 Before Florida officially became a right to vote restored; and, election, more Spanish translations will state, the territorial legislature had to • Not be a felon whose voting rights be required. A federal court in Madera pass several laws to govern the transition have not been restored. v. Lee, May 2019, ordered 32 counties to statehood. One law specified voter with Puerto Rican voters to provide eligibility: Free white males age 21 and Today, most adult Floridians are more translations and at least one older, who were U.S. citizens and met eligible to vote. That hasn’t always been bilingual employee to help Spanish- residency requirements (at least 2 years the case. speaking voters before the presidential in Florida, 6 months in their county). Registration discrimination primary begins. In August 2019, Gov. Over the years, the eligible electorate With ratification of the 15th Ron DeSantis instructed the Secretary has been expanded by amendments to the Amendment in 1870, blacks were free to of State to require all counties to provide U.S. Constitution. The 15th Amendment vote and run for office. Virtually all blacks ballots and election materials in Spanish. (1870) gave voting rights to persons of

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FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 33 CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY: America’s enduring inheritance

The Poll Tax ex-felon plaintiffs: At one time, any Floridian who “The state of wanted to vote was required to pay Florida cannot deny a poll tax. In other words, payment restoration of a felon’s was a prerequisite to voting. Florida’s right to vote solely legislature eliminated the poll tax in 1937, because the felon does well before the 24th Amendment (1964) not have the financial barred it nationally. resources necessary to

The claim of a poll tax resurfaced pay restitution.” Gov. COLLECTION. MACMANUS FROM PHOTO as an issue in court challenges to the DeSantis appealed the Florida Legislature’s implementation of preliminary injunction Willie Grantham paid a $1 poll tax to vote in Hillsborough County in 1905. voter-approved Amendment 4 (2018). ruling to the 11th The Amendment called for restoring U.S.Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing funds or community service hours owed “the voting rights of Floridians with the 2019 law was constitutional. (permissible under the 2019 law). felony convictions after they complete all In January 2020, the Florida terms of their sentence including parole Supreme Court had issued an advisory Registration outreach expands or probation.” (Florida was one of four opinion requested by the governor Floridians have always been able to states where felons did not regain the upholding the statute, but that did register at the Supervisor of Elections right to vote until a state officer or board not halt the federal case. The federal offices in each county. In 1993, the federal restored an individual’s voting rights.) Appeals court heard arguments in late National Voter Registration Act, also In 2019, the Legislature included January with a verdict expected in known as the Motor-Voter Act, mandated meeting outstanding financial obligations February 2020. that registration must also be made as a requisite to rights restoration if In the midst of the ongoing court available at various other public offices, they were terms of a felon’s sentence. battles, some county supervisors of including driver’s license offices. Civil rights and voting advocacy groups elections have registered eligible Under Florida law, a third-party challenged the law’s constitutionality, felons on the grounds that if need voter registration organization, such as arguing that restoration contingent on be, they could later be removed. In a candidate, political party, civic group, paying financial obligations (victim’s other locales, advocacy groups have or voter advocacy group, can collect restitution, court- ordered fines/fees) raised funds to pay off some felons’ completed registration forms and submit was the equivalent of a poll tax. In outstanding financial obligations. And them to appropriate election officials. October 2019, a federal judge issued a some judges have modified a felon’s In 2011, the Legislature set a deadline of limited ruling applying only to the 17 original sentence, waiving or lowering 48 hours from the date of collection for submitting applications, but the deadline was challenged as voter suppression, and it was changed to 10 days. Florida voters approved online registration in 2015, with a start date in 2017. The online system allows eligible Florida residents to register or update AP PHOTO/JOHN RAOUX AP PHOTO/JOHN an existing registration through a secure website, RegisterToVoteFlorida. gov, available in English and Spanish. Registering online has quickly become the second-most popular registration method after registering at a DMV site. Maintaining accuracy of registration rolls By federal and state law, registration rolls must be kept up to date to maintain the integrity of the election system. Florida law says a registered voter may be removed from the rolls if he or she requests it in writing, if a supervisor of Former felon Desmond Meade, president of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, fills elections received notice from another out a voter registration form as his wife, Sheena, looks on at the Supervisor of Elections state election official that the voter office in Orlando on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. It was the first day former felons were allowed to register to vote in Florida after Amendment 4 went into effect.

34 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES has registered out-of-state, if the voter is ineligible, or if the voter fails to respond to an address confirmation final notice and is inactive for two general election cycles. Roll purging conjures up images of discriminatory removal of voter names, whereas list maintenance does not. In the past, problematic purges resulted in a law requiring list maintenance bi-annually in off-years, although it occurs year-round as people die or relocate. Florida recently Willie Grantham paid a $1 poll tax to vote in Hillsborough County in 1905. became a member of the Electronic Voter Registration Information Center, a consortium of states that share voter PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH registration information to improve voter list accuracy. HOW TO VOTE In 1845, the only way to vote was in person. Floridians used paper ballots, A disabled voter is assisted at a Tallahassee polling location during the 2000 election. Seeking more deposited them in boxes or barrels, and privacy (secret ballot), Florida’s disabled communities pushed to get Help America Vote Act funds waited for the hand-counted results. for new equipment. During the Jim Crow era (from Reconstruction to the mid-1960s), black In light of concerns about secret vast differences in county population size. voters might be given a tissue ballot, and ballots, Florida has approved two types Minority voters have opposed some choices, whites, a paper ballot. Unscrupulous of accessible voting machines allowing such as proposals to end “Souls to the Polls” elections officials sometimes stuffed the secrecy and little or no assistance Sunday voting, which has helped increase ballot box with paper ballots for white in voting. Each produces a voter black voter turnout. candidates. If they ended up with more verifiable paper output for canvassing State law dictates the types of locations ballots in the box than the number of and recount. In 2019, the Legislature at which early voting can occur. Occasionally, people who actually voted, officials would authorized touchscreen systems for all the choice of early voting sites generates “randomly” pull out tissue ballots until voters, not just those with disabilities. complaints. Such was the case in 2018 they got the actual number of votes cast, when college students and their advocates thereby ensuring white candidate victories. Election day voting successfully fought to have early voting Another ploy was the eight-ballot box The reality is that Florida no sites on their campuses. New parking area system, which preyed on the black illiteracy longer has a single Election Day, requirements now threaten some college rate — more than half in the late 1800s. but rather multiple election days. campus early voting sites, raising claims of Every voter was given eight different ballots Almost two-thirds of Floridians vote voter suppression. — one for each contest. If placed in the before Election Day. Some prefer the wrong box, the vote was discarded. excitement of voting on Election Day. Voter IDs Over the years, the way Floridians Others do not because of experiences In 1977, the Florida Legislature required vote has changed dramatically — from with long lines, polling location that everyone who votes at a polling place hand-counted paper ballots to mechanical changes, even accessibility. They present an ID. Since 1998, a valid ID is one lever machines, punch card ballot prefer more convenient ways and with a photograph and a signature. Although machines to touch-screen machines, places to vote. requirements for ID cards have been to today’s optical scanner system. The extremely controversial in many states, they system uses paper ballots — critical to In-person early voting are less so in Florida because the state has vote certification and recounts. Early voting, or “convenience” long accepted a variety of IDs, from credit voting, was adopted by the Legislature in cards to government employee IDs. Voters with disabilities the aftermath of the 2000 presidential Voters in all elections must present Section 208 of the 1965 Voting Rights election to improve voter turnout. valid identification at the polling place in Act required assistance to voters with Polls show that Florida voters like the which they are registered in order to cast a disabilities at polling places or by mail. A opportunity to vote early. State law sets ballot, although voters who do not have the later law required “at least one accessible the dates and mandates the number of requisite identification may sign an affidavit voting device in each polling place that hours a county must offer early voting, at the polling place and still vote. The 2002 permits a voter with disabilities to cast while allowing each county to choose Help America Vote Act established the their votes privately and independently.” the days and hours, reflecting the right for a voter to cast provisional ballots

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FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 35 CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY: America’s enduring inheritance

at a polling location if the voter’s name if the margin between candidates/ is not listed on the registration list or issues is below 0.25 percent. This a voter’s eligibility is challenged by an recount applies only to over-votes and election official. The election supervisor’s under-votes as pulled from the machine examination of the voter’s official recount. registration record on file determines the Florida voters now mark paper validity of the ballot cast. ballots by filling in ovals, similar to lottery tickets or standardized tests. The Vote-By-Mail ballots are then electronically scanned, Before 2001, a voter had to show and the paper and scans are transported cause to use an absentee ballot. Now any to each county election supervisor’s office voter may request a vote-by-mail ballot where results from all polling locations

from their county elections supervisor plus mail ballots are centrally tabulated. HISTORY OF AMERICAN MUSEUM NATIONAL SMITHSONIAN and even authorize someone else to pick The responsibility for ordering a recount up the ballot, although the designee must in statewide elections lies with the submit an affidavit to do so. Secretary of State. In local elections, it is In the 2018 election, voters the canvassing board. complained that mail ballots did not arrive or arrived late, got lost in the The 2018 midterm prompts mail, or were not tabulated. In 2019, major reforms Punch card voting systems were outlawed in legislators responded with more flexible The state’s election system returned Florida after the 2000 election because of “hanging chads” that produced inaccurate timing, secure drop boxes where voters to the national spotlight after the counts. The federal Help America Vote Act can leave their ballots, and an earlier 2018 midterm election, resurrecting provided funds to help the state upgrade its start to counting mail ballots before an references to “Flori-duh.” Three voting equipment. election (22 days rather than 15 days). statewide races (U.S. Senate, Governor, Commissioner of Agriculture and the county elections supervisor or their COUNTING AND CERTIFYING VOTES Consumer Services) were so close they past signature on the precinct register. “An effective election system went to a recount. Tight deadlines (Mailed ballots do not require a photo ID maximizes the number of people voting for recounts kept several large urban but the signature on the envelope must and counts those votes fairly and counties from reporting final recount match the one on file.) Voters typically accurately,” says former UF law school totals in a timely fashion. Several forget to update their signatures, which dean Jon L. Mills. thousand mail-in ballots were rejected can change with aging, injuries, and because of signature deficiencies. Palm health conditions. The 2000 Presidential Beach County suffered incomplete In 2018, Democrats filed a lawsuit Election: New recount rules vote tallies because of malfunctioning challenging the handling of mismatched The razor-thin 2000 presidential antiquated vote tabulation equipment. A signatures on mail-in ballots and election led to a major overhaul of faulty ballot design in Broward County provisional ballots. The uproar prompted Florida’s election system. George led several thousand voters to skip the Legislature in 2019 to establish W. Bush officially defeated Al Gore over the U.S. Senate race between Rick a uniform process for how county by a mere 537 votes. After suits and Scott and Bill Nelson. The toxic nature canvassing boards compare signatures countersuits, the U.S. Supreme Court of politics at several polling locations and gave voters more time to “cure” their ruled 7-2 (Bush v. Gore) that the prompted some voters to simply leave signature mismatches. Florida Supreme Court’s decision without voting. Voters who cast ballots by mail but ordering recounts in four counties was fail to sign the required ballot envelope unconstitutional because it did not A look at the 2019 reforms – a sizable number – now have until the establish a statewide standard by which Few Floridians are aware that second day after the election to “cure” to recount votes, thus violating the 14th reforms passed in 2019 by the Florida their mistake. And the ballot envelope Amendment, which guarantees citizens Legislature as a result of problems with now requests more contact information equal protection under the law. the 2018 midterm elections were nearly so that the elections supervisor can The next legislative session, the as extensive as those after the infamous inform the voter of the missing signature. Legislature passed The Election Reform 2000 election. Act of 2001, setting uniform standards Scanning equipment upgrades Voter signature issues In 2018, Palm Beach County, the for triggering an election recount: and cures A machine recount, for federal, state’s third largest, had only eight state, or multicounty races or issues if Under Florida law, a person’s machines to scan nearly 600,000 ballots the margin between candidates/issues is signature must match the signature on cast and the software allowed only a below 0.5 percent and a manual recount, their voter registration record on file with single race at a time to be scanned. A

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36 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES new law prohibits voting systems that this change, but others have attacked it as reforms, voting systems and bills before cannot simultaneously count and sort being a violation of free speech. the Florida Legislature. Members of this undervotes and overvotes in multiple coalition include legal, civil rights, and races. All counties are now in compliance. Certification of results voting rights groups. Canvassing boards at the state and Poorly designed ballot formats local levels must certify election returns. Cybersecurity a hot topic for the Poorly designed ballot formats can At the state level, the Elections 2020 elections produce results counter to voter intent. Canvassing Commission is composed of Although no votes were changed, In 2000, the butterfly ballot in Palm the Governor and two members of the intrusions of two counties’ election Beach County caused voters to vote for Cabinet selected by the Governor. The system databases by the Russians in the more than one candidate for president Commission certifies the primary and 2016 presidential election prompted the or for the wrong candidate. In 2018, general election returns for each federal, Legislature in 2019 to direct the Florida Department of State to address the chain

SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY OF AMERICAN MUSEUM NATIONAL SMITHSONIAN Broward County placed the U.S. Senate state, and multicounty office. race between Rick Scott and Bill Nelson County canvassing boards are of custody of ballots, transport of ballots, right below a long list of instructions, composed of three members: the and ballot security in its rule delineating prompting thousands of voters to skip the supervisor of elections, a county court minimum security standards. County race. In 2019, the Legislature passed a law judge who acts as the chair, and the election officials have received more than requiring that ballot instructions either chair of the county commission. Besides $15.5 million in federal grants and the state be centered across the top of the ballot or certification of election results, they has provided funding for all counties to be in the leftmost column as long as there have a wide range of responsibilities — in the “ALBERT network” which includes are no individual races listed below the pre-election testing of voting equipment, sensors to monitor and detect cyber threats. column instructions. canvassing of vote-by-mail ballots, Federal agencies are also collaborating canvassing of provisional ballots cast with the state and all 67 county election Intimidation at polling places in early voting or on Election Day, supervisors to identify potential Reports of aggressive individuals conducting recounts, and conducting cybersecurity threats. attempting to intimidate voters as they post-election voting system audits. A fierce battle is underway between approached the polling place, in some Canvassing board meetings are, staunch proponents of protecting cases causing them to leave without by law, open to the public, including individual voter information and their casting a ballot, are not uncommon. candidates, political parties, their ballots and those insisting on transparency. So many voters complained about attorneys, and the news media. Transparency advocates are pressing being pressured by candidates and/or federal and state officials to release details their supporters and pollsters that in Voting rights battles will about individual county vulnerabilities. 2019, the Florida Legislature passed a continue Government officials are resisting, fearing law expanding the no-solicitation zone Constitutional battles over voting that release of such information would around polling precincts and early voting rights and the Florida Election Code help those attempting to attack the state’s sites from 100 feet to 150 feet. Disruptive, are likely to continue. In late 2018, the election system. unruly people may now be relocated to nonpartisan Florida Election Reform Meanwhile, Florida’s 67 supervisors outside the buffer zone. Some applauded Coalition was formed to evaluate election of elections must continue to prepare for what many are projecting to be a record voter turnout against the backdrop of feared cybersecurity breaches. As Tammy Jones, president of Florida Supervisors

WIKIMEDIA of Elections (FSE), has said regarding cybersecurity: “We are now in a race with no finish line and we will need to continue to make improvements as technology improves.”

In memory of Dr. David Colburn, notable Florida history scholar, great mentor, and dear friend. This article is based on materials written by the author that appear in Susan A. MacManus, Aubrey Jewett, David Bonanza, and Thomas R. Dye, Politics in Florida, 5th edition. Tallahassee, FL: FSU John Scott Dailey Florida Institute of Palm Beach County’s famous “butterfly ballot” (2000 presidential election) confused Government, 2019. To read this article complete voters and caused “spoiled” (not countable) ballots. with footnotes, please visit floridahumanities.org

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 37 CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY: America’s enduring inheritance Celebrating 100 years How Florida women helped win the right to vote (but not of suffrage without a fight) By Peggy Macdonald

lorida women’s fight for Chamberlain focused on a timelier Although the campaign for women’s the vote began with the topic: women’s rights. “The world was right to vote was a progressive cause, same concept that fueled not suffering for another cake recipe,” not all suffragists were enlightened the American Revolution: she said, “and the children seemed when it came to race. While the national no taxation without to be getting along better than the suffrage group welcomed black women as Frepresentation. women.” members, state and local organizations In 1892, after returning from a In 1893, Chamberlain established discriminated against African Americans. women’s suffrage conference in Des the Florida Woman Suffrage State women’s suffrage conventions Moines, Iowa, Ella Chamberlain pitched Association, which was affiliated were segregated, and even the National an idea for a new column to the Tampa with the National American Woman American Woman Suffrage Association Morning Tribune. Although her editor Suffrage Association, whose early prevented black women from marching wanted her to write on topics that would presidents included Elizabeth Cady together with whites during the March be of interest to women and children, Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. 3, 1913 suffrage parade in Washington,

COURTESY OF ORANGE COUNTY REGIONAL HISTORY CENTER Orlando equal suffrage float photo c. 1913

38 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES Fay Gibson Moulton Bridges became the first woman to vote in Florida after the 19th Amendment went into effect. When Bridges reported to work at the Liddon General Dry Goods Store, her boss advised her that it was going to be a busy day and if she wanted to vote in the election for town mayor and constable she should do so right away. Bridges voted on the porch of the dry goods store.

Fay Gibson Moulton Bridges COURTESY GFWC FLORIDA FEDERATION OF WOMEN’S CLUBS OF WOMEN’S FEDERATION FLORIDA GFWC COURTESY

D.C., according to the National Women’s register to vote, they were referred to History Museum website. several confused city officials. Eventually, Florida was no different. the city attorney informed them that Chamberlain’s vision for equal suffrage Florida law did not grant women the was laced with xenophobia and racism. right to vote. While making a case for (white) women’s The incident provided the Orlando suffrage, she asked why a “free-born women with a concrete example of American woman” should be represented taxation without representation, and by “the alien and the Negro.” In reality, a the equal suffrage movement started

combination of poll taxes, literacy tests to flourish in the city. Mary Safford, OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH and lynching prevented most African an experienced suffragist, was elected Americans from voting in the Jim Crow president of the Orlando Equal Suffrage era. Chamberlain’s anti-alien argument League. A state convention was held gained little traction in the Tampa area, in Orlando in November 1913, and the where immigrant labor contributed to Florida Equal Suffrage Association was the booming cigar industry. She left the established. Safford was elected the state in 1897, and the Florida women’s first president of the new organization. May Mann Jennings, former First Lady of suffrage movement stalled. Regular state conventions were held, Florida, who championed suffrage, was a Things began to change in 1912, when continuing even when World War I president of the Florida Federation of Women’s the Orlando mayor announced that altered the political landscape. Clubs and cofounder of the state’s chapter of the “all freeholders” should register for an While the Florida Woman Suffrage League of Women Voters. upcoming local election, according to Association was still in existence, most Elizabeth Taylor’s history of the suffrage suffrage groups eventually merged with movement in Florida. When a small the Florida Equal Suffrage Association, American Woman Suffrage Association. group of Orlando women attempted to which was aligned with the National Through its state and local affiliates, the National American Woman Suffrage Association worked for passage of equal suffrage amendments to the U.S. Constitution and state constitutions. Many officers and members of the Florida Equal Suffrage Association came from the ranks of the Florida Federation of Women’s Clubs, whose president was May Mann Jennings, a cofounder of the Florida chapter of the League of Women Voters and First Lady of Florida from 1901-1905, during the governorship of her husband, William Sherman Jennings. The members

COURTESY OF NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY OF AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATIONAL COURTESY of the Federation and local suffrage leagues were so entwined that they were practically one and the same, observed Jennings’ biographer, Linda D. Vance.

Suffrage parade continued on page 54

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 39 CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY: America’s enduring inheritance Why Florida’s voting rates lag behind A growing population means millions of voters, yet the state trails most others in election participation

By Aubrey Jewett

s Florida’s population has skyrocketed over the last decades, the state has seen a large increase in the number of residents who Aregister and vote. But voting hasn’t kept pace: Compared to other states, Florida has lower levels of registration and voting

as a percent of its eligible population. WIRE VIA ZUMA POST BEACH PALM R. BENNETT/THE © BRUCE According to U.S. Census Bureau data, about two-thirds of Florida’s

Aubrey Jewett Sign leads voters to the Palm Beach County Library for an election in 2017. received his Ph.D. from Florida voting-aged citizens were registered in states have bigger windows, with 20 State University 2016, compared to the United States allowing same-day registration, one and is currently average of 70 percent, the 46th lowest (North Dakota) requiring no registration, associate ranking among the 50 states and the and one (Oregon) providing automatic professor of District of Columbia. The U.S. Census registration (for people who opt out of political science also estimates that during the 2016 automatic registration in Oregon the at the University presidential election about 60 percent of deadline is 21 days). of Central Florida. Florida’s voting-age citizens cast a ballot Until recently, Florida was one of Dr. Jewett is an compared to the national average of 61.4 four states that permanently barred internationally percent – the 38th lowest state. people with felony convictions from recognized expert on American and Florida voting unless they successfully petitioned politics and his quotes have appeared Registration deadlines, the governor and cabinet for restoration. thousands of times throughout Florida, felon voting rights, and Some analysts estimate that 1.5 million the United States, and worldwide. He has demographics felons (most of whom had completed authored more than 20 books, chapters and What may account for Florida’s low prison and probation) were unable to journal articles. His professional colleagues relative rankings on registration and vote in Florida in 2016 – more than 10 have recognized him with over a dozen voting as a percent of voting-age citizens? percent of the state’s voting-age awards for teaching, advising, service, and Florida’s requirement that people population. This was the highest number research. Professor Jewett is former President must be registered 29 days before an and percent of felons excluded from and current Treasurer of the Florida Political election to participate may contribute voting of any state. Science Association. to Florida’s lower rankings. About 35

40 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES In 2018, Floridians voted to restore the U.S. or Florida, or coming voting rights to felons not convicted of from a culture or country where murder or sex offenses who complete registration and voting were all terms of sentence. It remains to be discouraged. Of course, Hispanics seen exactly how this constitutional are not a monolithic block, amendment will be implemented, but if and surveys show that Cuban a significant number of felons become Americans typically have higher eligible, Florida’s registration and voter registration and turnout turnout ranking relative to other states rates than other subgroups. could climb. Another possible factor in Florida’s Registration trends low ranking: States with large and/or The number of Florida fast-growing populations tend to have registered voters has increased lower registration and voting levels, over time with population and Florida, the third largest state, is growth. The Florida Division of also among the fastest growing. New Elections reports that the actual residents must figure out how and where number of registered voters grew to register and vote and may not have from 8.7 million to 13.3 million Man using a touch screen voting machine equipped for developed ties to Florida or a sense of between 2000 and 2018. hearing and vision impaired. civic engagement. And often, they may The numbers reported by the have higher priorities than voting when Florida Division of Elections each first moving to a new state. year are inflated because they contain Florida also ranks among the top 10 many entries (almost certainly several they don’t vote for an extended period, states for Hispanic population with about million) from people who no longer live but increases the number of “phantom” 26 percent of its residents identifying at the address on file but have yet to registered voters. As a point of reference, as Hispanic. States with large Hispanic be removed from the registration lists. the Census Bureau estimates that Florida populations tend to have lower levels Federal law prohibits deleting a person’s registered voters have grown from 7 of registration and voting: turnout for registration just for not voting. If a million to about 9.5 million between Hispanics averaged 10-20 percent lower person does not vote for two consecutive 2000 and 2018. Although the number than those for white non-Hispanics for federal elections, then the Supervisor of of Floridians registered to vote has the past three decades, Census data show. Elections sends a letter, and the person grown over time, the actual percent of Why does Hispanic registration and is only removed if they do not respond Floridians registered as a percentage of turnout tend to be lower? Reasons may or the post office returns the letter as no voting age citizens has not. According to include lack of citizenship, language longer at that address. actual registration figures, the percent barriers, lower economic and educational This process helps ensure that people has stayed fairly steady over two decades, levels, discrimination, being new to retain their registration even when hovering between 84 and 90 percent.

continued on page 55

A possible factor in Florida’s low ranking: States with large and/or fast-growing populations tend to have lower registration and voting levels, and Florida, the third largest state, is also among the fastest growing.

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 41 CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY: America’s enduring inheritance Man of the Sunshine How one North Florida legislator with a colorful name and a spirit of persistence helped pave the way for open government

By Ron Cunningham

hat’s in a name? the Florida House. But in his dogged If you had asked determination to mandate public Florida’s Sunshine Law, as enacted J. Emory Cross that meetings, Cross insured that, in Florida, question in 1948, he the people’s business would be done in in 1967, stated: would have said that sight of and with participation from the (1) All meetings of any board or name recognition counts for a lot. people. W commission of any state agency or Cross, Georgia native-turned- And getting that done was a lonely Marianna-car salesman-turned- business. “I never had a co-introducer authority or of any agency or authority of Gainesville lawyer, was running for on it in all the times that I introduced it,” any county, municipal corporation or any state prosecutor against two rivals from Cross would later say of the legislation political subdivision, except as otherwise well-known local families. At campaign that finally passed in 1967, when he was a provided in the Constitution, at which functions they liked to brag about just state senator. official acts are to be taken are declared to how familiar their names were. In terms of having a lasting impact be public meetings open to the public at all “That was sort of getting to me so on everyday lives, J.Emory “Red” Cross times, and no resolution, rule, regulation or finally I began to say, ‘now you are talking may be the most consequential politician about familiarity of names?’ I believe Floridians have never heard of. If formal action shall be considered binding mine was more familiar than either one you ever attended a city zoning board except as taken or made at such meeting. of theirs,” he recalled in a 1978 interview hearing to protect your property rights, (2) The minutes of a meeting of any with the University of Florida’s Samuel or weighed in on your neighborhood such board or meeting of any such state Proctor Oral History Program. school’s redistricting, you can thank Red agency or authority shall be promptly “My name is Red Cross. Cross for that right. recorded and such records shall be open “That might have won me the Half a century after its passage, the to public inspection. The circuit courts of election.” Government in the Sunshine Law still Whether it did or not, Red Cross obliges school board members, city and this state shall have jurisdiction to issue stuck. He of the crimson hair, “ice cream” county commissioners and state officials injunctions to enforce the purposes of this tropical suits and a penchant for tough to hold open meetings and listen to public section upon application by any citizens of causes. comments before making decisions. this state. And Red wasn’t even his first It should surprise no one that it is (3) Any person who is a member of a nickname. When he ran for student body newspeople, who regularly attend public board or commission or of any state agency president at the University of Florida meetings and report on their outcomes, or authority of any county, municipal in 1945 – winning by just 15 votes – they who are most likely to remember and jokingly called him “Landslide.” appreciate Red Cross’ legacy. corporation or any political subdivision who But the most enduring moniker Cross “There should be a statue of the man violates the provisions of this section by acquired during a stellar political career in Tallahassee, and his face should be attending a meeting not held in accordance was no joke: emblazoned on the wall of every county with the provisions thereof is guilty of a Father of Florida’s Government in the courthouse and city hall in the state,” misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof Sunshine Law. Craig Pittman, wrote Craig Pittman, shall be punished by a fine of not more Tampa Bay Times reporter and author of It took him a decade to do it, than five hundred dollars ($500.00), or by beginning in 1957 when he was in Oh, Florida!. imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six (6) months, or by both such fine In his dogged determination to mandate public and imprisonment. meetings, J. Emory “Red” Cross insured that, in Florida, the people’s business would be done in sight of and with participation from the people.

42 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES Man of the Sunshine PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH

Senator J. Emory Cross, center, talking to colleagues about a bill requiring meetings to be public

“Think of how very different our lives Chiles, who served with Cross in the Nixon, George McGovern carried would be without the Sunshine Law, and Legislature and went on to champion Gainesville handily in 1972. not just here but also other states that the federal version of Florida’s Sunshine And it would be short-changing have copied us,” Pittman says. “He saw Law in the U.S. Senate. the man’s legacy to imagine that open what was happening outside the public “Red was a very colorful, classic government was his sole contribution. view and came up with this thing that we Southern good old boy,” recalls Jean Cross himself said his proudest all take for granted today.” Chance, who began teaching journalism achievement was bringing a medical And therein hangs a tale worth at the University of Florida in 1956 school to the University of Florida, in 1955. telling. and often invited Cross to speak to her Working with then-Rep. Ralph Turlington Red Cross, who died in 2004 at the students. “It was the day of the Pork and state Sen. William Shands, Cross drove age of 91, was a fixture in North Florida Choppers but he was smart enough as the length of the state to secure legislative politics through the 1950s and ‘60s. First a lawyer to know how to compromise. votes for the initiative. as prosecutor then state representative He knew how to count the votes and he “I had broken my arm and had a cast up and senator and, finally, Alachua County knew he was in a college town.” to my shoulder,” he recalled. “I drove with judge. And it’s fair to say that he made an Indeed, Cross himself would admit my left hand from Pensacola to Key West.” impression on folks. that key to his political longevity was his As a member of the Senate “He always wore white. White suit, liberal college town constituency, which Appropriations Committee, Cross helped white tie, white shoes, white socks,” often put him at odds with the rural funnel millions of dollars to Florida’s recalled Gainesville attorney Jonathan lawmakers who ran the state well into fledgling community college system. He Wershow, whose father, James Wershow, the second half of the 20th century. introduced the bill that created Santa Fe lost a legislative race to Cross. “I thought “I had a lot of enemies in the Community College in Gainesville (after a he was an excellent politician but from Legislature,” he said during that 1978 heated fight with Sen. Charley Johns, who a political standpoint he was a lot more UF interview, “but I represented a wanted it in Starke). He also championed liberal than the area around him.” county that they did not have any better mental health screening and Which is to say that Cross was one strength with. Alachua County was treatment. of those rarest of political animals in peculiar in that regard.” Cross began his push for Government his time – the Southern progressive. How peculiar? Well, consider In The Sunshine shortly after he was Cut from the same mold as Florida’s that when the rest of Florida elected to the House, and after meeting other “Red,” Claude Pepper, and Lawton overwhelmingly went for Richard continued on page 56

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 43 CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY: America’s enduring inheritance School for citizens How do we learn how our government works and how we can best participate? For Florida’s students, civics is now a class requirement; while would-be citizens prepare for a naturalization test

By Cassidy Alexander

ushma Murthy stood in a room a complex standardized exam. It’s part the Study of the American Dream at with 28 other about-to-be of a system that was phased in between Xavier University found that one in three U.S. citizens, with her family 2010 and 2014 requiring civics exposure voting-age Americans would fail the by her side and 11 years as a at every level of schooling. Alternately, civics portion of the naturalization exam. Jacksonville resident under adults who want to become naturalized More recent studies support Sher belt. She came to Florida from India, U.S. citizens must take an exam to that finding: A 2019 survey from the and on this day the 34-year-old beamed. prove they speak English and pass a Annenberg Public Policy Center at the “I’m so excited to become a citizen 10-question test about U.S. history and University of Pennsylvania revealed right now,” she says. government. that three in five American adults And that — right there — is what Those two tests are like night and weren’t able to name the three branches Florida educators are trying to teach day: Students must prove they have of government. And a 2017 survey by middle school students. To be proud to high-level comprehension of ideas, such the same agency found that one-third be a U.S. citizen, and what it means to be as community, citizenship and freedom. of adults weren’t able to name any of a good one. Would-be citizens must speak English the freedoms guaranteed by the First We aren’t born with that knowledge, and recall facts. Amendment. so Florida lawmakers have established a “The state civics exam for middle Still, it’s not the factual knowledge system for educating students. Would-be school is much, much more difficult that is the most important thing about citizens like Murthy go through a federal than the naturalization test is, without a civics education, say experts like Annette process to prove their knowledge. But doubt,” says Stephen Masyada, director of Boyd Pitts, the executive director of it’s possible that both of these relatively the Florida Joint Center for Citizenship. the Justice Teaching Center for Civics young methods could be changing, as His job is to help teachers teach students Education at Florida Southern College. lawmakers and educators continue to the difficult content. “Each generation needs to renew its evaluate how to foster civic engagement. “Put simply, you’re not going to commitment to the responsibilities of The existing systems vary widely. find all of the answers available online,” self-government. Civics help prepare Florida students, for example, take he says. students for this important role,” she a required course in middle school that But even readily available factual says, and should include “opportunities covers everything from the foundation information is something that many for students to think critically, act civilly, of U.S. government to an overview of Americans struggle to retain. and have a voice in the processes of our present-day politics, and culminates in A 2012 study from the Center for government institutions.”

Although Florida’s program is relatively new, there’s evidence to suggest it’s working. Research from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement shows teaching students about voting increases their likelihood of voting when they turn 18 by 40 percent (according to self-reported data). Over the course of the year, some 200,000 students will learn everything from how democracy started in the U.S. and what the Articles of Confederation were, to how to evaluate modern-day political claims and how to personally participate in government.

44 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES [DAYTONA BEACH NEWS-JOURNAL/LOLA GOMEZ] NEWS-JOURNAL/LOLA BEACH [DAYTONA

Seventh-graders at Southwestern Middle School play a vocabulary game to prepare for the civics end-of-course exam in May. The rigorous standardized test is part of what experts say makes Florida’s civics requirements so strong.

Learning civics participate in government. That’s why Duval County Public In Janet Vaine’s classroom, civics can “Florida has gone beyond the Schools has taken the unusual approach appear more like a reading lesson. basics,” Pitts says. “Learning about our of spanning civics over multiple grades. As eighth graders at Southside Middle Constitution and how we can participate Traditionally, it’s a class that seventh School in Jacksonville try to read the in our government is an important way graders would take. But more advanced Preamble to the Constitution, Vaine says to ensure we sustain and improve this students can have it in sixth grade in the hardest part of teaching is making experiment in self-government.” Duval County, and students who might sure the students comprehend what they The class has been a requirement for struggle with the reading comprehension are reading. Students stumble over words Florida middle schoolers for less than component will take it in eighth grade like “posterity” and phrases like “insure a decade, thanks to the Justice Sandra after a prerequisite course designed to domestic tranquility.” So the whole class Day O’Connor Civics Education Act. help them be more successful. pauses, and breaks it down. Passed in Florida in 2010, it requires that It can also be contentious at times. “Right now, it’s that they can’t apply reading materials used in language arts Politics is often taboo in the classroom, what they don’t understand,” Vaine says. at all grade levels include civics content and teachers have to navigate how to “So we’ve got to get through breaking — think, third graders reading passages educate students on current events down that vocabulary — What does it about past presidents’ accomplishments without influencing their opinions, or mean? What does it look like? — and then to learn comprehension. And it primarily letting things get too heated. And some applying that to their daily lives.” requires that middle school students people believe learning what it means to Over the course of the year, Vaine’s take a course in civics and pass the be a good citizen is something that should students, along with about 200,000 accompanying standardized test. happen at home. But teachers will tell across the state, will learn everything The statute requires the course to be you it’s one of the most important classes from how democracy started in the U.S. “at least one semester,” but it’s commonly students will take. and what the Articles of Confederation a one-year long, stand-alone course. “Even as an eighth grader it were, to how to evaluate modern-day There’s no getting around it: the class and (civics) affects your life,” Vaine says. political claims and how to personally the test are difficult. “Understanding it is only going to help

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 45 CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY: America’s enduring inheritance

Becoming a citizen Across town from Vaine’s classroom, Murthy and the 28 other citizenship candidates from 21 countries gathered with their families in October. They’re preparing to say the words that would formalize what they’ve been working for. As excited as she is, Murthy said the civics test was not difficult at all. “It was too easy,” she says. “We have an app for (the knowledge test). We just had to download the app and go PHOTO COURTESY OF FLORIDA TIMES-UNION/WILL DICKEY OF FLORIDA COURTESY PHOTO through it for like three days.” Claudia Arias, a 22-year-old who moved to Jacksonville from Cuba when she was 17 and would be taking the Oath of Allegiance at the same time, describes her test preparation. “You read the 100 questions they give you. Make sure you learn those,” she says. “You make sure you learn English. And that it’s something At a naturalization ceremony in Jacksonville on Oct. 10, 2019, immigrants recite you want to do, and you’re willing to the Oath of Allegiance to become citizens. They will join the approximately 700,000 compromise for this country.” people per year who become naturalized U.S. citizens. While the test gets the most attention, citizenship candidates you become a better person and a better teaching students about voting increases also must prove they can read, write young adult.” their likelihood of voting when they and speak English, and have lived For the most part, students do turn 18 by 40 percent (according to self- in the country for five years. Some understand. Statewide, 71 percent of reported data). state lawmakers have pushed to civics test-takers passed last year — a In 2018 in Florida, the voter turnout make passing the citizenship test a higher success rate than any other rate for 18-to-19 year-olds was 28.5 requirement for students to earn a high standardized test in the state. percent — surpassing the national rate school diploma: Multiple studies and Faith Duncan and Gianna Carlucci, of 23 percent. And civics education surveys have shown many American students at Southwestern Middle School experts are quick to point out that the citizens don’t know the answers to in Volusia County, say they see the value student activists who led the national questions on that test. in it — especially in information they can push for gun reform following the mass But citizenship candidates really do apply to understanding politics today. shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas know the information: The pass rate for Faith says learning the difference High School in Parkland would have the naturalization test was 90 percent between Republicans and Democrats been among the first cohorts of students as of June 2019. was probably the most important thing to go through school with the required Potential for change she took from the class. exposure to civics. “When you vote, it’s going to make a Additionally, that 2019 survey from Both types of civic knowledge huge difference,” she says. the Annenberg Public Policy Center assessment — the standardized test for And Gianna believes the course found people who took a civics course in Florida students and the naturalization prepared her to be an active citizen as an school answer more questions correctly test for would-be citizens — are adult. that tested their civics knowledge. relatively new. “We learned everything we needed to Vaine hopes information like this The naturalization test of today learn,” she said. “At least, I did.” means her students will take what they has only been fully implemented learn with them. nationwide since 2009. Previously, Education increases voting “In the end when my students reach local judges performed mainly oral Although Florida’s program is that voting age,” she says, “I want them to exams with little standardization. And relatively new, there’s evidence to learn the value of researching any topic to the state’s current civics education suggest it’s working. Research from the the fullest so that you can become more structure has only been in place since Center for Information and Research on knowledgeable than the next person.” law changes in 2010 that were fully Civic Learning and Engagement shows phased in five years ago.

46 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES Test yourself Florida students and candidates for U.S. he pay his workers in Haiti a fair wage. Claude QUESTIONS FOR WOULD-BE U.S. citizenship face two disparate tests on, estimates the damage at $4,000. Claude sues CITIZENS ostensibly, the same subject. See which the protestors for the damage they cause. 1) Name one branch or part of the questions you’re better able to answer. Where is the original jurisdiction of this case? government. QUESTIONS FOR FLORIDA STUDENTS A. This is a local small-claims case. B. This is a local challenge to 2) What are two rights of everyone living in 1) What did many American colonists use international trade. the United States? Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” to justify? C. This is a federal small-claims case. 3) What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is A. Acts of sabotage against British merchants D. This is a federal challenge to famous for? B. Declaring independence from Britain international trade. C. Joining the army instead of the militia 4) Name one of the two longest rivers in 4) Which example involves changing D. Supporting the British monarchy the United States. foreign policy? 2) Kayla sat in the meeting hall and listened 5) Who was president during World War I? A. Congress lifting the oil embargo on a to the different candidates for her state’s open formerly communist government Answers: Senate seat. The candidates debated about B. A Supreme Court hearing on worker 1) Congress, legislative, President, their positions on issues. When Election Day discrimination based on national origin executive, the courts, judicial; 2) freedom came along, she voted for the candidate she C. Congress voting to construct an aid center of expression, freedom of speech, thought would best serve her community’s in Florida for political refugees freedom of assembly, freedom to petition interests. What form of government does D. A Supreme Court justice voting to take a the government, freedom of religion, Kayla have? case involving his country of birth the right to bear arms; 3) U.S. diplomat, A. Direct democracy 5) A more informed society has resulted from oldest member of the Constitutional B. Representative democracy which constitutional protection? Convention, first Postmaster General C. Oligarchy of the United States, writer of “Poor D. Monarchy A. Trial by jury Richard’s Almanac,” started the first free B. Free speech 3) Claude runs a chain of tourist businesses libraries; 4) Missouri and Mississippi C. Right to bear arms in Florida. He imports T-shirts from Haiti to rivers; 5) Woodrow Wilson D. Due process sell in his stores. One day, student protesters damaged several of his shops, demanding that Answers: 1)B; 2)B; 3)A; 4)A; 5)B

Both may be in flux. problem in their community. those students approach voting age. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration In the past, Florida lawmakers have “We want these kids to have the same Services announced it would review and advanced the idea that high school attitude some of these new Americans update the naturalization test by either students should be required to pass the have,” Masyada says. “They’re proud to late 2020 or early 2021. The revisions naturalization test. States like Arizona, be an American, and they’re happy to will aim “to help potential new citizens North Dakota, Utah and Idaho already engage with civic life.” fully understand the meaning of U.S. have such a requirement. citizenship and the values that unite all “There’s a huge move nationally Americans,” said the agency’s former to require the naturalization test as a Cassidy Alexander acting director Ken Cuccinelli in a press requirement to graduate high school,” is education release. Masyada says. “We would argue that reporter for The And in the case of students, Florida the naturalization test is a good basic Daytona Beach lawmakers have been known to propose foundation for what students know. But News-Journal. changes or additions to the current if we’re leading civics learning to just be She’s a graduate structure. able to pass the naturalization test, we’re of the University of A state representative recently not doing our job to prepare students for North Florida and proposed adding a voluntary civics citizenship.” the vice president literacy practicum — a way for students Many of those who teach civics to of the Society to get hands-on knowledge of how middle-schoolers say it would be helpful of Professional government works by trying to solve a for the subject to come back into focus as Journalists Florida Pro Chapter.

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 47 CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY: America’s enduring inheritance

While Florida may not Our state of yet shine when it comes to civic participation, there are signs the engagement times may be changing

By Tom Scherberger

lorida can be a tough place for civic engagement, ranking below the national average on every benchmark in a 2016 survey by the FFlorida Joint Center for Citizenship. And yet things may be looking up. Voting among young people in Florida PHOTO COURTESY OF ADMIRE ENTERTAINMENT COURTESY PHOTO went up by 15 percent over 2014 in the 2018 midterms. And Florida is home to young activists like 19-year-old Taylor Morales, who emerged from the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre determined to change America’s approach to guns and the mentally ill, and to inspire young people to get involved. And it drew retirees like 72-year-old LaRae Donnellan, who gave up leisurely days of pickleball, golf and mahjong in The Villages to help thousands of impoverished children living in the nearby Ocala National Forest. And it produced a small band of 30-somethings who persuaded Hillsborough County voters to tax themselves to improve Tampa’s transportation system. A 2016 report by the Florida Joint Center for Citizenship at the University of Central Florida underscored the Taylor Morales importance of civic engagement. “Participation in civic life is at the heart Taylor Morales survived the Parkland massacre and now of democratic governance and vibrant, healthy communities,” it says. visits college campuses to talk about improving gun safety So what exactly is civic engagement? and mental health treatment. She wrote a Facebook post The UCF study examined activities such as memberships in civic organizations, about her feelings. It went viral, drew media attention, and donating to charitable organizations, she started speaking out.

48 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES boycotting or buying a product for social or political reasons, attending public meetings, contacting public officials, working with neighbors to fix a community problem and volunteering. In every case, Florida lagged behind the rest of the country. “Overall, Florida does indeed rank on the low end of the spectrum, especially when it comes to volunteering and OF LARAE DONNELLAN COURTESY PHOTO associational membership, political discussion with family and friends, and local election voting rate,” says Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University. For example, Florida ranked last in the rate of volunteering at 23 percent, 42nd in local voting at 44 percent, and 50th in political discussions at 48 percent. Yet, participation varies depending upon where in the state you live, with some Florida cities and towns ranking far above the national average, while others are far below. Why so disengaged compared to the rest of the country? “We have such a population of transplants,” says Stephen S. Masyada, director of the Florida Joint Center for Citizenship at the University of Central Florida, which studies the issue. “In many cases, it’s very hard to build the spirit of civic engagement when you’re new to the neighborhood and we all keep our doors closed from our neighbors.” Doing something about it People tend to become more engaged with their community as they mature. LaRae Donnellan, center, collecting gifts for impoverished children living in the Ocala National Forest. Working, paying taxes, raising children, buying a home: They all play roles in collected signatures to place a 1-cent Usually people get more engaged as rooting someone in a community, which sales tax on the 2018 ballot. The experts they age. But even older Floridians are leads to increased civil engagement. said they didn’t have a chance. It passed less engaged than their counterparts Tyler Hudson falls into that category. with 57 percent of the vote. nationally, says Jeff Johnson, AARP’S A Tampa native, he moved away for college Like the rest of Florida, Hillsborough Florida state director and chairman of and work. He returned home, settled down, County is full of people who grew up Florida Civic Advance, which seeks to got a job in a big law firm, got married, somewhere else. And that turned out to strengthen civic engagement in Florida. bought a house, had kids. And he quickly be an advantage, Hudson says. “People “The statistics are really clear,” got frustrated with the growing traffic know it can be better,” he explains. Johnson says. “Older people tend to problems and woefully underfunded “People who come to Tampa from be more civically engaged, but not in transit system. “There was this sense elsewhere understand you can have Florida. Florida is at the bottom. So many of powerlessness about transportation, transit in a city and that’s a good thing.” people are here from somewhere else. that you couldn’t do anything about it,” He got engaged, he says, for a simple They think of themselves as New Yorkers, says Hudson, 35. He and a group of like- reason: “I love Tampa. I want to make it or they are on an extended version of minded people of similar age decided better...My kids are 3 and 1 and I don’t vacation. Very few of us get to know our to do something about it. They formed a want them to have to deal with this.” neighbors when we are on vacation.” group called All for Transportation, which continued on page 57

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 49 CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY: America’s enduring inheritance Finding common ground How we can learn to quiet the ‘inner polarizer’ and communicate civilly across the political divide By Keith Simmons

ow often do I Better Angels began after the 2016 in the wake of the 2016 presidential feel a rush of election. In December of that year, election, when many Americans began to pleasure when 10 Trump supporters and 11 Clinton feel that holding political conversations we ridicule supporters met in South Lebanon, Ohio. became increasingly challenging. those crazies on The goal of this first meeting was simply “After the 2016 election, I was very the“H other political side?” to talk without resorting to a shouting discouraged,” says Paul Witte, a Better That’s one of the questions match. The group realized that by meeting Angels volunteer from Vero Beach. that participants ask themselves in and discussing their beliefs, it was possible “I temporarily stopped watching TV, Depolarizing Within, a workshop to establish common ground. From that stopped reading about politics, because I conducted by Better Angels. By the point, Better Angels expanded. was totally disgusted.” Witte changed his end of the first exercise, participants The name of the organization is mind after learning about Better Angels can sense the strength of their “inner inspired by Abraham Lincoln’s first from a friend. polarizer” – the emotional high we inaugural address, in which he encouraged Other volunteers typically learn experience when dealing with people Americans on the eve of the Civil War to about the organization through friends with whom we intensely disagree. appeal to “the better angels of our nature.” and connections. “My best friend is the The Village Square and Better By its design, Better Angels brings together polar opposite with political views, but Angels are examples of nonprofits even numbers of “Reds” and “Blues” we love each other anyway,” says Joyce in Florida engaged in the same goal: to discuss a range of topics in formats Taylor, a Better Angels volunteer and to get Floridians to hold meaningful designed to elicit listening and thoughtful a self-described “Red.” “We were on a conversations. engagement. The organization began friends trip and we saw an article about Better Angels and decided to participate.” PHOTO COURTESY BOB HOWARD, THE VILLAGE SQUARE THE VILLAGE BOB HOWARD, COURTESY PHOTO

Panelists for Local Color, a Village Square program, answer questions from the moderator. Local Color fosters discussions about race, politics and life in America.

“Believe it or not, the biggest challenge is to get different people into the same room,” says Liz Joyner, founder of The Village Square. “Once you have a diverse group together, it’s easy to get people to like each other and enjoy spending time together.”

50 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES The goal of these conversations is The Village Square is another readily people can develop relationships. to simply talk, rather than attempting Florida nonprofit whose mission is to “We humans naturally grow our hearts to persuade someone to abandon their inspire engagement between people who to accommodate people who don’t agree political beliefs. Participants are also disagree on issues. Liz Joyner, CEO of the with us,” Joyner explains. “It’s part of encouraged to speak for themselves, organization, says it got started over the tilling the soil of self-governance. If self- rather than others who may not disagreement over the construction of a government is to be realized, then we have be present in the room. “The most coal power plant in Tallahassee. Joyner to till this soil and work together.” common thing is talking about what was working on the reelection campaign Joyner’s work has expanded outside of the other side thinks, and not what of a city commissioner and witnessed Tallahassee and seeks to engage more than the speaker personally thinks,” says many of these conversations happening a general audience. Respect + Rebellion, for Lorraine Heisler, another Better Angels around him. instance, allowed student groups to bring volunteer. “We encourage speakers and “The conversation tended to break two speakers who radically disagree to a participants to avoid saying ‘they do down over national issues,” Joyner college campus. Joyner hopes to model this’ or, ‘they think that’.” explains. “One group argued that it the ways in which two people can hold an would be good authentic perspective while maintaining for the business an equally authentic relationship. community. The The presence of Better Angels and other argued on The Village Square illustrates the urgency environmental in developing stronger community grounds that it bonds. But Liz Joyner’s work shows was a terrible idea. that the development of stronger, better But there wasn’t a communities is a long-term proposition. strong conversation “Your political opponent is your partner around how the in maintaining a vibrant democracy. The decision would people who disagree with me can see blind impact our spots that I have. Sometimes that shifts community.” A your opinion, sometimes it doesn’t. But PHOTO COURTESY BOB HOWARD, THE VILLAGE SQUARE THE VILLAGE BOB HOWARD, COURTESY PHOTO group of residents you get that opportunity when you engage harbored strong people that don’t agree with you,” she says. disagreement, Those engaged with both Dinner conversation programs are popular methods to get people engaging over political differences while also enjoying a meal and but Joyner found organizations remain optimistic about some occasionally lighter conversation. that they could the nation’s future. At the same time, retain those Paul Witte, like others working on civic In a Better Angels program, disagreements and still engage engagement, acknowledges the long road like-minded participants are first constructively. That group became the ahead. “I would say that every pebble that grouped together to explore their core founders and board of directors for hits the pond has ripple effects,” he says. beliefs and stereotypes associated with The Village Square. “We are just the pebble, but we do have a their side. “Reds” and “Blues” often Programs for The Village Square run ripple effect. And we have to at least start acknowledge that some stereotypes the gamut. Local Color consists of a series at the beginning.” have a factual basis, while others are of conversations on race-related topics. Visit BetterAngels.org and tlh. destructive toward holding meaningful The God Squad brings faith leaders villagesquare.us to learn more about these conversations. These findings are then together to discuss social issues. And The organizations. shared with the other side. Longest Table features – literally – a long Keith Simmons is the communications drector Participants leave a Better Angels table in the middle of Monroe Street in for Florida Humanities. He earned his Bachelor program equipped with improved downtown Tallahassee for a community of Science degree in history from Florida A&M communication skills – and a willingness dinner. Whatever the format, the University and to engage with those with whom they emphasis is on the need to engage those Master of Arts disagree. with whom we disagree. in American “I think most people on the other “Believe it or not, the biggest history from the side are calm, rational, and have challenge is to get different people into University of experiences that have shaped their the same room,” Joyner says. “Once you South Florida. beliefs,” says Taylor. “I dismiss those have a diverse group together, it’s easy to He is a fourth- who simply want to fight and stir the pot get people to like each other and enjoy generation without moving conversations forward. spending time together.” Floridian and And that goes for both sides of the The most surprising thing she has a native to the political spectrum.” learned in doing civic engagement for more than a decade, Joyner says, is how Tampa Bay area.

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VOICES AND VOTES: DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA continued from page 15 “butterfly ballot” from the presidential third-largest minority (immigrant) “A number of community partners election of 2000. population here and they really go have curated this local history, including In Bartow, the Polk County History out and vote. The the African American Center was already planning a year-long Haitian community Cultural Resource Center celebration of voting rights. is big on voting. It is located inside our library. We “This coming year we will important to have the plan to capture the stories... commemorate the 100th anniversary of historical context and to highlight our community’s the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the education behind voice in the exhibition. This giving women suffrage,” says Myrtice that. This will give is a wonderful opportunity to Young, historic preservation manager. people more insight into bring together generations “We developed a coalition of around the voting process in who have lived through such 15 local partners to talk about what we America.” struggles and those joining could do to commemorate it. We’ll have And there’s also the ranks of citizenry.” an exhibit, we’ll host a play about the Haiti’s long history of In Bartow, Young trial of (suffragist) Susan B. Anthony. So valuing freedom while says, they’re developing here comes the wonderful news about struggling against a “red and blue” debate

the MoMS exhibit and it is a perfect dictatorships. HISTORY OF AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATIONAL COURTESY and a conversation tie-in to the commemoration. I can’t “Once you put your around principles of the tell you how exciting it is to have the foot on Haitian soil, Haiti Constitution and their resources of the Smithsonian and Florida gave you your rights to relevancy today. Humanities.” be a Haitian,” Pierre In Tallahassee, Baker At the Betty J. Johnson North says, and that included is planning a deep dive into “A Woman Living Here Has Sarasota Public Library, manager Erin enslaved people who Registered to Vote,” window voting led by University of Clay has high hopes for the exhibit, made their way to the sign for a home, 1919 South Florida Professor which will open there in August. island. Conversely, she Emeritus Susan MacManus, “We hope people will leave adds, a history peppered with dictators a nationally known expert on voting, and with a better understanding of has instilled in Haitian-Americans Mary Ellen Klas, capital bureau chief for democratic history and the rights and the inclination to “take freedom very the Miami Herald and co-bureau chief responsibilities of seriously.” of the Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald citizens living in a Beyond Tallahassee Bureau. democracy,” says the artifacts, “Part of the program will ask Clay. community participants to engage in thoughtful “Of course we engagement will consideration of their own voting want residents to energize “Voices identity,” says Baker. “For example, feel inspired and and Votes.” do you study ahead of time, or just go register to vote Videos, created in with a gut feeling. Who you are as a while they are specifically for this voter?” here. Above all, event, will feature Beyond the experience of the we want people local community “Voices and Votes” exhibit itself, Tiffany to understand the members talking Baker sees this long-term benefit: art of constructive about what Florida Humanities and MoMS has conversation democracy means forged a new community in the run-up and listening to them. And to the exhibit’s opening by bringing as it relates to with help from together representatives from the enacting change.” Florida Humanities Florida sites. Eveline and community “We have a little cohort of colleagues Pierre is executive Alison Turnbull Hopkins pickets the White conversation now that we didn’t have before,” Baker director of the House, 1917. facilitators, such as says. COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL WOMAN’S PARTY AT THE Haitian Heritage BELMONT-PAUL WOMEN’S EQUALITY NATIONAL MONUMENT The Village Square “When you’re doing programming Museum, located and Better Angels, on your own, there tends to be an echo in the heart of Little Haiti, near Miami’s open dialogue will help citizens see chamber. It’s just nice to sit around Design District. beyond their political differences. and throw ideas out there that are “Talking in general about the Haitian “The Newtown community, which inspiring and fun. Because of that community, it will be important to the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota meeting, they’re all going to come here have something of this magnitude, ” Public Library serves, has a rich history of when our exhibit opens. It opens op- Pierre says of the exhibit that opens citizens engaging in the political process portunities for engagement in ways we in December 2020. “Haitians are the and enacting change,” says Clay. haven’t done before.”

52 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES HOME FOR HISTORY FOR 200 YEARS continued from page 21 Republican Abraham Lincoln was elected president in November 1860, angering the slave-holding South. In early January, nearly 70 delegates met in Tallahassee to decide whether to secede from the Union. On January 10, 1861, more than 60 voted yes. The same day, Call and his slave Abraham took a buggy eight miles from Lake Jackson to Tallahassee, as LeRoy Collins later wrote in his book, Forerunners Courageous: Stories of Frontier Florida. Not long after Call arrived home, the ebullient voters who were in favor of the Confederacy showed OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH up at his front door to rub it in. The secessionists called Call to the porch of The Grove and said, “Well, Governor. We have done it.” It was then, staring into the eyes of those who taunted him, Call held up his walking cane and said very slowly, “And View of the frontal facade of the Call-Collins House at The Grove in Tallahassee.

what have you done? You have opened the gates of hell, from which shall flow the curses of the damned, which shall sink you into perdition.” On a stormy Sunday afternoon in mid-September 1862, a few months before Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, Call died in his bed at The Grove. He is buried in the family plot. “His personal tragedy was that of the staunch, national-minded Southerners of his generation who could not give up or compromise on either slavery or

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH the Union,” writes historian Hebert J. Doherty in the biography Richard Keith Call: Southern Unionist. “He was the representative of a passing generation and a vanishing class.” Mark Hinson is a fifth-generation native Floridian, a former reporter and columnist for more than 30 years with the Tallahassee Democrat, and lives with his wife and two Russian Blue cats in Tallahassee.

LeRoy Collins and Mary Call at the Grove in 1954.

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WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE CENTENNIAL continued from page 39 In 1915, the Federation passed a she never missed an election. GFWC motion at its state convention supporting Florida Federation of Women’s Clubs the right to vote for women. And the president Sharon Oliphant reported that Federation voted into membership the a historical marker will be dedicated in Orlando Equal Suffrage League, Florida’s Bridges’ honor in 2020. most active suffrage organization. The Another woman who voted in that Federation soon became the largest first post-ratification election was Mary organization in Florida to support equal McLeod Bethune. Working to overcome suffrage. In 1917, the Florida Legislature both sexism and racism, Bethune offered considered a proposed amendment to the night classes in reading at what is now state constitution to enfranchise women, Bethune-Cookman University to help according to Elizabeth Taylor. members of the black community But there was strong resistance pass the literacy test. Bethune also to the movement among the state’s campaigned door-to-door to raise money political establishment. Alachua for a poll tax fund for black voters. In County representative Frank Clark Jr. retaliation, the Ku Klux Klan threatened maintained that voting is not a natural to burn Bethune’s school. When KKK right. C. A. Stephens of Hamilton argued members marched toward the school, Mary McLeod Bethune against women’s suffrage on the grounds Bethune led a group of students in song. that “divine law placed man at the head According to former Bethune-Cookman of the family and made him the ruler and Nonetheless, on August 18, 1920, the history professor Leonard R. Lempel, the governing power of nations.” 19th Amendment was ratified and eight singing drove the KKK away and the next As early as 1915, some municipalities days later women’s suffrage went into day Bethune and the students marched permitted women to vote in local effect across the nation. The following together to cast their first ballots. elections. Fellsmere lays claim to being day, on August 27, Fay Gibson Moulton Although the 15th Amendment Bridges became the first woman to vote the birthplace of women’s suffrage in th extended suffrage to black men in 1870 the Sunshine State because it was the in Florida after the 19 Amendment went and the 19th Amendment granted site where Zena Dreier became the first into effect. When Bridges reported to voting rights to women in 1920, woman to vote in a local election in work at the Liddon General Dry Goods Bethune and other civil rights activists Florida, and possibly the entire South. Store in downtown Sneads in Jackson continued to work for decades to help Although several local suffrage County, her boss advised her that it was black men and women gain access bills were passed, the Florida going to be a busy day and if she wanted to the polls. Their goal was finally Legislature failed to pass a state suffrage to vote in the election for town mayor and accomplished when Congress passed amendment, and when the U.S. Congress constable she should do so right away, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which passed the 19th Amendment on June according to the Jackson County Times. prevented states from using measures 4, 1919, formally granting all women in The act of voting was quite informal. such as poll taxes and literacy tests to the U.S. the right to vote, Florida did not Bridges voted on the porch of the dry prevent African Americans from voting. ratify the amendment goods store. “We didn’t have voting booths in Peggy Macdonald is an adjunct professor of those days,” she explained to the Miami history at Stetson Herald before her death in 1974. After University and casting her ballot, Bridges was invited Indian River State to attend special ceremonies at the College. She is the Governor’s Mansion and the White former director House to recognize her as the first of the Matheson woman to vote in Florida. A widow with History Museum. seven children, Bridges was unable to A Gainesville attend the ceremonies. native, Macdonald She later remarried and moved earned a to Miami, where she and her husband doctorate in opened a coffee shop and general store. history at the Until well into her eighties, Bridges University of would start working at 4:30 a.m. each Florida. She day, making key lime pie, homemade writes for Gainesville Magazine, Our Town chicken and dumplings, biscuits and Magazine and Senior Times and serves on

COURTESY OF THE ARCHIVE CENTER, INDIAN RIVER COUNTY MAIN LIBRARY CENTER, INDIAN RIVER COUNTY OF THE ARCHIVE COURTESY other Southern staples at the coffee the Alachua County Historical Commission. shop. A lifelong Democrat, Bridges said She is the author of Marjorie Harris Carr: Zena Dreier in 1963. Defender of Florida’s Environment.

54 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES WHY OUR VOTING RATES LAG BEHIND continued from page 41 Why do some Floridians decide Why didn’t you vote? not to register to vote? The 2016 USF- Nielsen Sunshine State Survey offers Inconvenient hours or polling places some answers ranging from they are Transportation problems not eligible, not interested, don’t think their vote will matter, or just never Forgot to vote got around to it. Others surveyed cited Registration problems religious reasons, poor candidates (or a Out of town or away from home lack of choices among the candidates) or simply did not want to be on the Other voter registration rolls (which are Illness or disability public records). Too busy or scheduling conflict Voting and Turnout No interest/vote wouldn’t make a di‚erence The number of Floridians casting a Didn’t like the candidates or campaign issues ballot in the general election has risen Survey USF-Nielsen Sunshine State 2016 Source: over the past 20 years with Florida’s 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% population. The numbers reported by the Florida Division of Elections are Florida that saw a recount declare George On average, older voters are more considered accurate and show mostly W. Bush the winner by just 537 votes. likely to vote: seniors participate steady growth for presidential years Many Floridians looked back at 2000 and more than middle-aged residents who (from 6 million in 2000 to 9.6 million in justifiably thought their votes might help participate more than those in their 30s 2016) and non-presidential years (from decide the 2004 winner. and 40s who participate more than young about 5 million in 2002 to more than There was also a large turnout adults. The gap between younger and 8.3 million in 2018). While the trend is increase in the 2018 off-year election older voters is more pronounced during up, the number of voters seesaws every compared to 2014. Turnout surged in midterm elections (and local elections). two years as many Floridians vote only 2018 due to high profile, closely contested Retirees usually have more time and when there is a presidential race at the races for both U.S. senator and governor older voters typically have more invested top of the ticket. (at 62.6 percent the highest Florida in the political system compared to Voter turnout rates can be calculated midterm turnout in at least 20 years). young adults – property owned, taxes several ways. The Florida Division of Turnout rates often vary based on paid, health concerns, and education for Elections computes turnout as the race/ethnicity, age, and education. As children and grandchildren. number of voters who cast a ballot noted earlier, Hispanic turnout lags Voter turnout rates also vary based divided by the number of registered overall voter turnout – frequently 10 to on education levels. As a rule, the more voters. Turnout is consistently higher 20 percentage points lower. For many education a person has, the more likely in presidential elections and lower in decades turnout for African American they are to register and vote. This may off-year elections. voters was consistently lower than that reflect a recognition of the importance Between 2000 and 2018 presidential of white voters (by as much as 5 to 10 of voting, the knowledge to figure out turnout fluctuated between 70 and 75 percentage points as recently as the how to register and vote, and the overlap percent (with the highest level, by a small 1990s). But since 2000, black turnout of higher education levels with more margin, seen during Barack Obama’s run has rivaled white turnout and by some flexible jobs and increased incomes. for president in 2008). A large increase estimates exceeded white turnout in 2008 Finally, why is it that some people in turnout occurred in 2004 following and 2012 when Barack Obama was at the don’t vote even after they take the the dramatic 2000 presidential race in top of the presidential ticket. time to register? Pew Research asked that question of a national sample of registered voters after the 2016 election and the answers likely apply to many Florida non-voters. One-quarter of respondents reported they did not vote because they did not like the candidates or the campaigns. Fifteen percent had no interest in the election or felt their vote would not make a difference. Others said they were too busy or had a conflict with their schedule or an illness or disability which precluded them from voting.

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LET THERE BE SUNSHINE continued from page 43 with then-UF journalism dean Rae O. Weimer and H.G. “Buddy” Davis, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial page editor of The Gainesville Sun and a UF journalism professor. The ability of elected officials to make decisions in secret had long bothered Cross. When I-75 was in the planning stage, he once told the Gainesville Sun, “I had a very good friend who was on the road board helping his buddies” buy up land along its future path. “It just wasn’t right.” Cross said in his oral history interview PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH “I always believed the people had a right to know about what the public officials were doing and how their money was spent.” That notion of a public right to know didn’t go over well with some lawmakers. Cross remembered one representative who argued that in his county, “we are not for open meetings.” “And his newspapers all over county wrote editorials against him,” Cross said. “He was sorry he said that.” What ultimately paved the way for passage of the Sunshine Law was a landmark court-ordered reapportionment that ended the reign of the Pork Choppers, a group of lawmakers known for protecting the interests of their rural Florida constituencies, and ushered in new Senators Cliff Herrell and J. Emory “Red” Cross discussing each other’s bills. state leadership. Claude Kirk, Florida’s first Republican governor since fast-changing technology. Increased use In the end, she cautions, open Reconstruction, signed the bill into law. of email, text messaging, social media and government “is dependent on the Ironically, it was that same other forms of instant communication commitment by citizens to protect reapportionment that ended Cross’ are challenging the very meaning of what their democracy and demand access to legislative career. After his district was exactly constitutes an open meeting or a information. And if the public isn’t paying redrawn to include portions of several public record. attention these laws are going to disappear.” rural counties, Cross lost his seat to Sandra F. Chance, retired UF Gainesville oil-gas distributor Bob journalism professor, former executive Ron Cunningham was a reporter at the Fort Saunders. director of the Brechner Center for Lauderdale Sun Sentinel, higher education Fifty two years after its passage, Freedom of Information, and co-author reporter at The Gainesville Sun, and Tallahassee Cross’ Government in the Sunshine of a history of Florida’s open government bureau chief for The New York Times Florida Law remains durable but vulnerable to laws, says “technology is fast outpacing Newspapers, before serving as editorial page changing times. Barbara Peterson, who the law’s ability to keep up. It allows editor at The recently retired as president of the First us to do more things remotely, but a Gainesville Sun Amendment Foundation in Tallahassee, lot of people still don’t have access to until 2013. He is said “there are far fewer exemptions to computers. Also if someone wanted to a University of our right of access (meetings) than to get around the law, technology makes it Florida graduate public records. Of 1,100-plus exemptions, easier. For example, by using Facebook and former maybe 10 to 15 percent have been to the Messenger or WhatsApp, some public editor-in-chief of Sunshine Law and the remainder to the officials could potentially circumvent the The Independent public records law.” law. If you don’t know it exists, you can’t Florida Alligator. Which is not to say that the public’s ask for it.” right to know isn’t threatened by

56 FORUM FLORIDA HUMANITIES AWAKE TO ENGAGEMENT continued from page 49 Finding a new cause in 29-year-olds voted compared with 22 health treatment. She had done some retirement percent in 2014. And while twice as volunteer work in high school, but was LaRae Donnellan belies the notion many older voters cast ballots in 2018, inspired by a rally she attended four of the unengaged retiree. In 2014 she the rate of increase was higher among days after the shootings. She wrote a retired with her husband to The Villages. young people. That’s cause for optimism, Facebook post about her feelings. It “I went kicking and screaming.I did Masyada says. went viral, drew media attention, and not want to live here. But I love it. I feel Civic engagement among young she started speaking out. connected in a way I’ve never felt before,” people was particularly obvious in Morales said many young people she says. the reaction to the mass shootings at want to get involved but are often “When I first came here I was playing Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland discouraged by their elders. “When pickleball five to seven times a week.” in 2018. you’ve been told so many times you’re Card games, mahjong, euchre, book club, “These are the kids who took civic too young, the grownups are talking, golf. “I did a lot of those kinds of things, education in middle school,” Masyada they don’t want us involved. We get shut but at some point I said this is just not says. down. And we end up just being numb enough. There’s got to be more to life They learned the importance of to it which is why we seem apathetic,” than playing.” engaging civically but more importantly Morales says. She thinks the impact the Through her church, she found they learned the tools of civic students have had on the gun debate a cause: thousands of impoverished engagement. has inspired young people across the children living almost invisibly in the “It’s all about what you do with the country to get more involved. nearby Ocala National Forest. “It’s just skills you’re learning,’’ he says. “Some While a lot more attention has been good karma to give back,” she says. argued for gun control, others argued paid in recent years to the importance Masyada’s institute is working to against gun control and some for other of instilling civic engagement among update its civic study but, he says, even options.” young people, it’s an issue Boys State without new data he knows “it is not Civic engagement is not a liberal or and Girls State have focused on for more where it needs to be.” Still, Masyada sees conservative idea. But there’s more to than 70 years. some encouraging signs that give him civic engagement than protests, Masyada Every summer, the two organizations hope, especially among young people. says. “It’s voting, working with your send rising seniors to Tallahassee For example, voting was up among neighbors, looking for solutions, engaging for a week for hands-on lessons in young voters in 2018 midterm elections with your political leaders.” state government. Funded by the by 15 percentage points over 2014, One example is Taylor Morales, 19, American Legion and the American according to an analysis by University who survived the Parkland massacre Legion Auxiliary, the two groups have of Florida political science professor and now visits college campuses to talk produced notable leaders, including state Dan Smith. About 37 percent of 18- to about improving gun safety and mental legislators, three Florida governors and the incoming Florida House Speaker, Chris Sprowls, as well as innumerable business leaders, says Forrest Boone, executive director of Boys State Florida and a Boys Nation alum. Operating in 49 states and the District of Columbia, the programs also send representatives to Washington, D.C., for similar hands-on experiences. Most famously, Bill Clinton was photographed shaking hands with President John F. Kennedy during his Boys Nation visit to Washington. “We have to instill American values and the ideals of democracy and freedom PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ALL FOR TRANSPORTATION OF ALL FOR COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH and justice,” Boone says. “It’s not just automatic. We actually have to pass this down to our children.” Like Masayda, Boone is optimistic about young people. “This generation knows that the problems that they want to deal with are only solved by amplifying solutions in politics,” he says. “The problems are so big they can’t just make individual solutions.” Tyler Hudson discusses the All For Transportation sales tax referendum in Tampa.

FLORIDAHUMANITIES.ORG spring 2020 FORUM 57 FLORIDA State of Wonder PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE STATE ARCHIVES OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES OF THE STATE COURTESY PHOTOGRAPH

In the ‘Spirit of Florida’

uth Bryan Owen, daughter of three-time Democratic the Atlantic from Jacksonville to Key West — one of the largest presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan, with geographical districts in the country — giving 500 stump speeches. R her secretary, driver, and campaign car, the green Ford In 1932, she lost the Democratic nomination for her seat because coupe dubbed “The Spirit of Florida.” In 1929, Owen was elected of her “dry” position on Prohibition. The following year, President the first woman to serve in the U.S. Congress from Florida. Franklin Roosevelt appointed Owen minister to Denmark, the She drove up and down her district, which stretched along first American woman to head a diplomatic delegation.

Do you have a photo for State of Wonder? Please email Jacki Levine at [email protected]

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