Florida Historical Society

6/17 Today in Florida History from the Florida Historical Society!

1871 – James Weldon Johnson, African American author, composer, lawyer, teacher, and civil rights activist, was born in Jacksonville on this date. In his early years in Jacksonville, Johnson was educated first by his mother, but later graduated from the Edwin M. Stanton School, where he excelled. He would later teach at Stanton, and became principal of the school in 1906, after graduating from Clark Atlanta University. James and his brother, J. Rosamond, lived in New York City for a time and were part of the African American cultural movement known as the Harlem Renaissance. It was there that Johnson and his brother wrote and composed the song, “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” later referred to as the “Negro National Anthem.” Johnson was the first African American admitted to the Florida bar, and the first from Duval County to ever seek admission. He was active in the NAACP, becoming the first black executive secretary in 1920. Johnson wrote many articles and books, often dealing with race relations in America, throughout his lifetime. “The Autography of an Ex-Colored Man,” published in 1912, and “God’s Trombones: Seven Negro Sermons in Verse,” published in 1927, are considered to be two of his most influential works. Johnson died in a car accident in 1938 while vacationing in Maine, but his legacy lives on in Florida and beyond.

6/16 Today in Florida History from the Florida Historical Society!

1994 – Charles T. Wells was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court on this date. Wells received both his bachelor’s and juris doctor’s degrees from the University of Florida. He practiced law in Orlando for twenty-eight years before being appointed to the state Supreme Court by Governor Lawton Chiles. He served as chief justice from July 1, 2000, until July 1, 2002. During this period he presided over the state Supreme Court cases known collectively as Bush v. Gore, which stemmed from controversy over the 2000 presidential election in Florida and subsequent recounts in certain counties. In a 4-3 decision, with Wells voting in the minority, the state Supreme Court ordered a statewide recount of the ballots. That decision, however, was reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court, and shortly thereafter Vice-President and Democratic nominee, Al Gore, conceded the race, granting Governor George W. Bush the necessary twenty-five electoral votes from Florida to win the presidential election. In 2013 Wells wrote an analysis of the case entitled, “Inside Bush v. Gore,” which gives readers an inside look at the complexity of such an historic case.

6/15 Today in Florida History from the Florida Historical Society!

1961 – Ten members of the Interfaith Freedom Ride were arrested in the Tallahassee Municipal Airport on this date after attempting to eat at a segregated airport restaurant. The group rode from Washington, D.C., to Tallahassee to protest against the segregated interstate busing system in the South. The group planned to then fly back to Washington from Tallahassee, and decided to “sit in” at the Savarin Restaurant located inside the airport. As a result, ten of the protestors were arrested. Dubbed the “Tallahassee 10,” they were released on bond the next day, although they came back to Tallahassee to serve brief jail sentences in 1964 after being convicted.

6/14 Today in Florida History from the Florida Historical Society!

1826 –Joseph Fry, captain of the infamous “Virginius,” was born in Tampa on this date. Captain Fry was a member of the second graduating class of the U.S. Naval Academy and served with distinction around the world until the outbreak of the American Civil War. Fry joined the Confederate Navy and saw action on the Mississippi River. After the war, Fry was looking for work and agreed to captain a side-wheel steamer named the S.S. Virginius. Fry had been contracted by Cuban mercenaries to transport men and supplies to Cuba in support of the fight against the Spanish government during the Ten Years’ War. The Virginius was captured by Spanish forces on October 30, 1873, and Fry and his crew of American and British sailors were convicted of piracy and sentenced to death. Captain Fry and fifty-three of his crewmen were executed before British and American diplomats could stop further violence. The Virginius Incident was a precursor to future events between the U.S. and Spain in 1898.

Florida Historical Society Archivist and Public History Coordinator Ryan Humm gave an outstanding presentation on “Florida in the American Revolution” for an enthusiastic audience of South Brevard Historical Society members at the Melbourne Public Library. It was an informative and engaging discussion!

6/13 Today in Florida History from the Florida Historical Society!

1915 – Okaloosa County, Florida’s fifty-second, was created on this date. The name Okaloosa is derived from a Choctaw word meaning “black water.” A steamboat named the “Okaloosa,” operating on the Blackwater River, brought passengers from Milton to Pensacola. State Representative William Mapoles, one of the county’s early settlers, first introduced the bill to create Okaloosa County, citing the recent population growth from the burgeoning lumber, turpentine, and fishing industries in the area and the need for more representation.

6/12 Today in Florida History from the Florida Historical Society!

1913 – The Collins Bridge, the first bridge connecting Miami Beach with Miami, opened on this date. It was built by early south Florida land developer, John S. Collins, and partially financed by Carl G. Fisher. At the time of completion it was the longest wooden bridge in the world, at 2.5 miles. The original bridge was replaced by a series of arched drawbridges in 1925 and renamed the Venetian Causeway. The Collins Bridge opened up Miami Beach to rapid growth and development which hasn’t slowed since!

David Levy Yulee was the first US Senator from Florida. Coming up on “Florida Frontiers: The Weekly Radio Magazine of the Florida Historical Society” we’ll discuss this complex historical figure. We’ll talk about the infamous Johns Committee that targeted homosexuals on college campuses in the 1950s and’60s, and we’ll look at Hurricane Andrew from a new historical perspective. Check your local NPR schedule, listen as a podcast, or online at https://myfloridahistory.org/frontiers/radio/programs.

6/11 Today in Florida History from the Florida Historical Society!

1925 – The Ocean Pier and Casino at Daytona Beach opened its doors on this date. One of the most recognizable features on one of Florida’s most popular beaches, the Ocean Pier replaced an earlier structure known as Keating Pier, constructed in the late nineteenth century. After a devastating fire in 1920, Jeter McMillan built the new casino. Over the years, the pier has hosted thousands of charity balls, dances, civic events, and weddings, as well as beachgoers from around the world. It was renovated most recently in 2012 and is currently owned by the City of Daytona Beach.

6/10 Today in Florida History from the Florida Historical Society!

1963 – Governor Farris Bryant signed State Senate Bill No. 125, creating Florida Technological University in east Orlando on this date. Now known as the University of Central Florida, the school was first a technological university, aimed at providing higher education for members of Florida’s burgeoning space industry. UCF is now one of the largest public universities by total enrollment in the entire country! The school officially opened its doors in October 1968 with 1,948 students, and experienced tremendous growth in the last quarter of the twentieth century. UCF now offers hundreds of undergraduate and graduate degree programs from twelve colleges spread over twelve satellite campuses throughout central Florida. UCF has a current enrollment of over 63,000 students, plus an additional 6500 online students.