Author: Rosalyn Howard Ph D
Publisher: Rosalyn Howard, PH.D.
ISBN: 9780983127314
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
This book chronicles the history of Sarasota, Florida's African American community - Newtown - that celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2014. It answers questions about many aspects of community life: why the earliest African Americans who came to Sarasota, then a tiny fishing village, first settled in areas near downtown called -Black Bottom- and -over town;- their transition from there to Newtown; how they developed Newtown from swampland into a self-contained community to ensure their own survival during the Jim Crow era; the ways they earned a living, what self-help organizations they formed; their religious and educational traditions; residents' military service, the strong emphasis placed on education; how they succeeded in gaining political representation after filing a federal lawsuit; and much more. Newtown residents fought for civil rights, endured and triumphed over Jim Crow segregation, suffered KKK intimidation and violence, and currently are resisting the stealthy gentrification of their community. Whether you are new to the area, a frequent visitor, an educator, historian or a longtime resident trying to connect the dots in your family tree, you will find these stories of courage, dignity and determination enlightening and empowering!
Newtown Alive
Author: Rosalyn Howard Ph D
Publisher: Rosalyn Howard, PH.D.
ISBN: 9780983127314
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
This book chronicles the history of Sarasota, Florida's African American community - Newtown - that celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2014. It answers questions about many aspects of community life: why the earliest African Americans who came to Sarasota, then a tiny fishing village, first settled in areas near downtown called -Black Bottom- and -over town;- their transition from there to Newtown; how they developed Newtown from swampland into a self-contained community to ensure their own survival during the Jim Crow era; the ways they earned a living, what self-help organizations they formed; their religious and educational traditions; residents' military service, the strong emphasis placed on education; how they succeeded in gaining political representation after filing a federal lawsuit; and much more. Newtown residents fought for civil rights, endured and triumphed over Jim Crow segregation, suffered KKK intimidation and violence, and currently are resisting the stealthy gentrification of their community. Whether you are new to the area, a frequent visitor, an educator, historian or a longtime resident trying to connect the dots in your family tree, you will find these stories of courage, dignity and determination enlightening and empowering!
Publisher: Rosalyn Howard, PH.D.
ISBN: 9780983127314
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
This book chronicles the history of Sarasota, Florida's African American community - Newtown - that celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2014. It answers questions about many aspects of community life: why the earliest African Americans who came to Sarasota, then a tiny fishing village, first settled in areas near downtown called -Black Bottom- and -over town;- their transition from there to Newtown; how they developed Newtown from swampland into a self-contained community to ensure their own survival during the Jim Crow era; the ways they earned a living, what self-help organizations they formed; their religious and educational traditions; residents' military service, the strong emphasis placed on education; how they succeeded in gaining political representation after filing a federal lawsuit; and much more. Newtown residents fought for civil rights, endured and triumphed over Jim Crow segregation, suffered KKK intimidation and violence, and currently are resisting the stealthy gentrification of their community. Whether you are new to the area, a frequent visitor, an educator, historian or a longtime resident trying to connect the dots in your family tree, you will find these stories of courage, dignity and determination enlightening and empowering!
Hidden History of Sarasota
Author: Jeff LaHurd
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1614236429
Category : Photography
Languages : en
Pages : 180
Book Description
From a one-horse farming town to the thriving winter residence of the Ringling Brothers Circus and flocks of snowbirds. Sarasota has more than its fair share of unusual stories and intriguing individuals. Learn about the illustrious John Ringling, from the details of his daily breakfast to the fifty-five year saga that determined his final resting place. Find out the real identity of A NO. 1, the King of Hobos, who spent a night in Sarasota's finest hotel. Witness the most memorable wedding in Sarasota- between two gorillas. Join longtime resident and historian Jeff LaHurd as he chronicles the fascinating, forgotten stories that made Sarasota the exceptional city it is today.
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1614236429
Category : Photography
Languages : en
Pages : 180
Book Description
From a one-horse farming town to the thriving winter residence of the Ringling Brothers Circus and flocks of snowbirds. Sarasota has more than its fair share of unusual stories and intriguing individuals. Learn about the illustrious John Ringling, from the details of his daily breakfast to the fifty-five year saga that determined his final resting place. Find out the real identity of A NO. 1, the King of Hobos, who spent a night in Sarasota's finest hotel. Witness the most memorable wedding in Sarasota- between two gorillas. Join longtime resident and historian Jeff LaHurd as he chronicles the fascinating, forgotten stories that made Sarasota the exceptional city it is today.
Jews of Sarasota-Manatee
Author: Kimberly Sheintal
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 0738590673
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 130
Book Description
In 1539, explorer Hernando de Soto landed near Sarasota, Florida, but centuries passed before the Sarasota-Manatee area saw many settlers. By the late 1840s, a few pioneers had arrived, but it was not until 1913 that the first Jewish person settled here. Other Jewish families followed, but no organization connected them until the Jewish Community Center of Sarasota was established in 1925. For early Jewish settlers, the biggest problem was isolation rather than discrimination. By the 1950s, when the region was experiencing a post-war population boom, some of Sarasota's most prominent citizens were Jewish. They played an enormous role in creating Sarasota's businesses, charitable organizations, and cultural assets, including the David Cohen Hall and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. The Jewish Community Council, a precursor of the Jewish Federation, formed in 1959. Sarasota-Manatee now has 13 Jewish congregations and a thriving Jewish population. While the Jewish people of the area cannot be thanked for the sunny weather, they can be thanked for helping the community shine.
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 0738590673
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 130
Book Description
In 1539, explorer Hernando de Soto landed near Sarasota, Florida, but centuries passed before the Sarasota-Manatee area saw many settlers. By the late 1840s, a few pioneers had arrived, but it was not until 1913 that the first Jewish person settled here. Other Jewish families followed, but no organization connected them until the Jewish Community Center of Sarasota was established in 1925. For early Jewish settlers, the biggest problem was isolation rather than discrimination. By the 1950s, when the region was experiencing a post-war population boom, some of Sarasota's most prominent citizens were Jewish. They played an enormous role in creating Sarasota's businesses, charitable organizations, and cultural assets, including the David Cohen Hall and the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. The Jewish Community Council, a precursor of the Jewish Federation, formed in 1959. Sarasota-Manatee now has 13 Jewish congregations and a thriving Jewish population. While the Jewish people of the area cannot be thanked for the sunny weather, they can be thanked for helping the community shine.
Sarasota
Author: Amy A. Elder
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 9780738518374
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 132
Book Description
Sarasota, a charming and unique city on the Gulf Coast, is still a small town in many ways. Today there are simply many more neighborhoods. This volume focuses on attractions, culture, and community from the 1940s to the present. Sarasota has many attractions besides beautiful beaches and boating waterways, including Mote Marine Laboratory, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, and the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, to name just a few. The Sarasota Opera House, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, the West Coast Symphony, the Sarasota Ballet, and several small theaters contribute to this cultural mecca. During the time period covered here, hundreds of churches, schools, civic organizations, art colonies, and retirement homes have developed. Investors and entrepreneurs have greatly impacted the area, changing the architectural landscape, especially during the last 10 years, when development has had the most impact on the city skyline.
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 9780738518374
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 132
Book Description
Sarasota, a charming and unique city on the Gulf Coast, is still a small town in many ways. Today there are simply many more neighborhoods. This volume focuses on attractions, culture, and community from the 1940s to the present. Sarasota has many attractions besides beautiful beaches and boating waterways, including Mote Marine Laboratory, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, and the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, to name just a few. The Sarasota Opera House, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, the West Coast Symphony, the Sarasota Ballet, and several small theaters contribute to this cultural mecca. During the time period covered here, hundreds of churches, schools, civic organizations, art colonies, and retirement homes have developed. Investors and entrepreneurs have greatly impacted the area, changing the architectural landscape, especially during the last 10 years, when development has had the most impact on the city skyline.
Sarasota
Author: Jeff LaHurd
Publisher: Definitive History
ISBN: 9781596291195
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Discover the growth and transformation of Sarasota, Florida from deserted land of milk and honey to the thriving, charming community it is today. Sarasota, Florida was not always the thriving urban community that residents know today. This popular tourist destination on the Gulf Coast began its course of modern development with the Homestead Act of 1862 and a promise to the inhabitants of Scotland that the land awaiting them in Florida was one of milk and honey where gold grew on trees. Little did the first settlers know that within a hundred years the deserted land they then called home would transform itself not only into a bustling real estate and tourism hub, but also into a charming community with a personality all its own. From the 1920s to the 1960s, the Gulf Coast town was described as a community where no one was a stranger. In the 1920s, however, a clairvoyant full-page ad in the Sarasota Herald predicted, Sarasota's Growth Cannot Be Stopped. Indeed it couldn't. Sarasota soon became nationally known for its connection to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its famous art museum, and its celebration of modern architecture. A long time resident of Sarasota, Florida, Jeff LaHurd's ninth published work is his most comprehensive account of Sarasota's history to date. In this precise exploration of the city's history, LaHurd masterfully chronicles the lives lived and the fluctuating growth of Sarasota.
Publisher: Definitive History
ISBN: 9781596291195
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Discover the growth and transformation of Sarasota, Florida from deserted land of milk and honey to the thriving, charming community it is today. Sarasota, Florida was not always the thriving urban community that residents know today. This popular tourist destination on the Gulf Coast began its course of modern development with the Homestead Act of 1862 and a promise to the inhabitants of Scotland that the land awaiting them in Florida was one of milk and honey where gold grew on trees. Little did the first settlers know that within a hundred years the deserted land they then called home would transform itself not only into a bustling real estate and tourism hub, but also into a charming community with a personality all its own. From the 1920s to the 1960s, the Gulf Coast town was described as a community where no one was a stranger. In the 1920s, however, a clairvoyant full-page ad in the Sarasota Herald predicted, Sarasota's Growth Cannot Be Stopped. Indeed it couldn't. Sarasota soon became nationally known for its connection to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its famous art museum, and its celebration of modern architecture. A long time resident of Sarasota, Florida, Jeff LaHurd's ninth published work is his most comprehensive account of Sarasota's history to date. In this precise exploration of the city's history, LaHurd masterfully chronicles the lives lived and the fluctuating growth of Sarasota.
The Calusa and Their Legacy
Author: Darcie A. Macmahon
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780813080925
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Rich with photographs and colorful drawings, this history of south Florida's Calusa people presents a vivid picture of the natural environment and teeming estuaries along Florida's coasts that sustained the Calusa.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780813080925
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Rich with photographs and colorful drawings, this history of south Florida's Calusa people presents a vivid picture of the natural environment and teeming estuaries along Florida's coasts that sustained the Calusa.
An Illustrated History of Siesta Key
Author: Thomas Philip Farrrell
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1683340175
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 236
Book Description
A history of a very popular beach destination near Sarasota on the Gulf coast of Florida. Reviewing the past century of Siesta Key development in the context of Florida's ancient and recent emergence, this book explains how one small Gulf coast barrier island has become world famous as “#1 Beach in the USA." Beginning with Amerindian settlers, the “First Floridians," all of the seminal pioneers and a steady stream of pivotal leaders are described with emphasis on their families, motivations, and challenges. Both historical triumphs and tragedies are covered to provide a balanced perspective. Lastly, the current and future threats are analyzed in detail, including the environmental controversies with nearby keys, the menace of increasing red tide, and the risks of rising sea levels associated with global warming.
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1683340175
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 236
Book Description
A history of a very popular beach destination near Sarasota on the Gulf coast of Florida. Reviewing the past century of Siesta Key development in the context of Florida's ancient and recent emergence, this book explains how one small Gulf coast barrier island has become world famous as “#1 Beach in the USA." Beginning with Amerindian settlers, the “First Floridians," all of the seminal pioneers and a steady stream of pivotal leaders are described with emphasis on their families, motivations, and challenges. Both historical triumphs and tragedies are covered to provide a balanced perspective. Lastly, the current and future threats are analyzed in detail, including the environmental controversies with nearby keys, the menace of increasing red tide, and the risks of rising sea levels associated with global warming.
Creating Sarasota County
Author: Frank A. Cassell
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1467141801
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 1
Book Description
The creation of Sarasota County in 1921 inspired intrigue and drama, pitting local economic rivals against one another. The civic leaders of the Sarasota district fought what they saw as an incompetent and biased Manatee County Commission for seven years to build the roads needed to support their ambitions for growth and prosperity before finally winning out. They encountered other challenges, including the great Florida land boom of the 1920s, the construction of the Tamiami Trail and even an unsolved murder, but Sarasotans persevered to realize their dreams and fulfill their economic ambitions. Dr. Frank Cassell recounts this dramatic history and the tales of the men and women who led the county independence movement.
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 1467141801
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 1
Book Description
The creation of Sarasota County in 1921 inspired intrigue and drama, pitting local economic rivals against one another. The civic leaders of the Sarasota district fought what they saw as an incompetent and biased Manatee County Commission for seven years to build the roads needed to support their ambitions for growth and prosperity before finally winning out. They encountered other challenges, including the great Florida land boom of the 1920s, the construction of the Tamiami Trail and even an unsolved murder, but Sarasotans persevered to realize their dreams and fulfill their economic ambitions. Dr. Frank Cassell recounts this dramatic history and the tales of the men and women who led the county independence movement.
The Sarasota School of Architecture, 1941-1966
Author: John Howey
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262581566
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
The years: 1941 to 1966. The place: Sarasota, Florida. The story: a sudden burst of fresh, innovative houses by a group of Americans who caught the imagination of the international architectural community. Inflected by local climate, construction practices, regional culture, and Florida life-style, the work of the Sarasota school of architecture—founded by Ralph Twitchell and counting Paul Rudolph, Mark Hampton, Victor Lundy, and Gene Leedy among its practitioners—marks a high point in the development of regional modernism in American architecture. Although the Sarasota school wasn't a consciously organized movement, it was an important chapter in American modernism that, unlike the earlier Bay Area school and Chicago school, has received little study or published scholarly treatment. John Howey, who practices architecture in the region, provides the first solid documentation of the Sarasota group's designs and theories. He has interviewed all of the surviving architects and original clients and has included a rich archive of photographs by Ezra Stoller, Alexandra Georges, and others whose views, particularly of the houses built between 1950 and 1960, gained world-wide exposure when they were first published forty years ago. Howey first investigates the early influences on the Sarasota group, particularly of Frank Lloyd Wright in Florida. He then discusses such pivotal events as the opening of Ralph Twitchell's office in 1936 and the arrival of Paul Rudolph in 1941. Later chapters illustrate the effect of World War II on the Sarasota architects; early postwar successes of Twitchell and Rudolph; the influences of the Bauhaus and International Style; the tendency of various Sarasota architects to create their own design directions the arrival of Victor Lundy in 1954; the effect of changing economic, social, and political agendas on Sarasota's culture; and the philosophy and results of the Sarasota school.
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262581566
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
The years: 1941 to 1966. The place: Sarasota, Florida. The story: a sudden burst of fresh, innovative houses by a group of Americans who caught the imagination of the international architectural community. Inflected by local climate, construction practices, regional culture, and Florida life-style, the work of the Sarasota school of architecture—founded by Ralph Twitchell and counting Paul Rudolph, Mark Hampton, Victor Lundy, and Gene Leedy among its practitioners—marks a high point in the development of regional modernism in American architecture. Although the Sarasota school wasn't a consciously organized movement, it was an important chapter in American modernism that, unlike the earlier Bay Area school and Chicago school, has received little study or published scholarly treatment. John Howey, who practices architecture in the region, provides the first solid documentation of the Sarasota group's designs and theories. He has interviewed all of the surviving architects and original clients and has included a rich archive of photographs by Ezra Stoller, Alexandra Georges, and others whose views, particularly of the houses built between 1950 and 1960, gained world-wide exposure when they were first published forty years ago. Howey first investigates the early influences on the Sarasota group, particularly of Frank Lloyd Wright in Florida. He then discusses such pivotal events as the opening of Ralph Twitchell's office in 1936 and the arrival of Paul Rudolph in 1941. Later chapters illustrate the effect of World War II on the Sarasota architects; early postwar successes of Twitchell and Rudolph; the influences of the Bauhaus and International Style; the tendency of various Sarasota architects to create their own design directions the arrival of Victor Lundy in 1954; the effect of changing economic, social, and political agendas on Sarasota's culture; and the philosophy and results of the Sarasota school.
They Dared to Dream
Author: Doris Weatherford
Publisher: University Press of Florida
ISBN: 081305933X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 433
Book Description
"Well-crafted and in-depth, They Dared to Dream has moved women, their experiences, and their contributions to the forefront of Florida's history and heritage. This is a long-overdue and much-needed turning point in understanding our state's past and present."--Canter Brown Jr., coeditor of The Varieties of Women's Experiences "Represents a leap forward in the study of Florida history. Weatherford has done an outstanding job of researching and writing about Florida women, from paupers to queens, elevating their status to a level of equality within the overall story of Florida."--Rodney Kite-Powell, Saunders Foundation Curator of History at the Tampa Bay History Center and editor of Tampa Bay History "Exhaustively researched, well written, and engaging, They Dared to Dream breaks new ground in the study of Florida. Doris Weatherford's ambitious history of women in Florida will be widely read and discussed. From Princess Ulele to Alex Sink, from the role of criollas in Colonial St. Augustine to the struggles of women in the twenty-first century, Weatherford chronicles their lives in the Sunshine State."--Gary Mormino, author of Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams In this extensive portrayal of Florida's guiding matriarchs, Doris Weatherford highlights the myriad contributions women have made throughout Florida's history. From the select few who traveled with Ponce de Leon to the state's first female mayor Marion H. O’Brien, Weatherford sheds light on the roles these pioneering women played in the shaping of the Sunshine State. They Dared to Dream reveals the lifestyles and achievements of women throughout landmark moments in history, including Native civilizations before the arrival of European colonists; early Spanish, British, and French exploration, the Civil War era, Reconstruction, the early twentieth century, and the population explosions post-World War II. Featuring often-celebrated personalities--including Mary Martha Reid, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton--alongside the lesser-known lives of Princess Murat, lighthouse keeper Barbara Mabrity, Florida Memorial College founder Sarah Ann Blocker, and others--this pivotal examination of Florida's female agents of change draws attention to women's instrumental roles in the historical events that defined the Sunshine State. From prehistoric times to the space age, the female half of the population has made giant, but too often unacknowledged, contributions to Florida history. Countless women have overcome great obstacles and yet are often left out of historical accounts. They Dared to Dream aims to fill in some of these gaps by celebrating the many successes women have made. Because without women, there is no history--nor any future. Doris Weatherford is the author of A History of the American Suffragist Movement and other reference guides on American women’s history. The Florida Commission on the Status of Women Foundation, Inc., is dedicated to empowering women and girls in our state by supporting educational, entrepreneurial and self sufficiency programs and initiatives through grants, mentoring, and other opportunities. The FCSW Foundation supports the work and programs of the Florida Commission on the Status of Women, including the Florida Women's Hall of Fame. The Florida Commission on the Status of Women Foundation, Inc. dedicates this book to: the women of the past who struggled to achieve gender equality and showed the path, the women of the present who continue with the same goal, and the women of the future who will carry the baton and make us proud.--Dr. Mona Jain Acknowledgments, by the Florida Commission on the Status of Women Foundation, Inc The Florida women’s history book project could not have been completed without the cooperation and support of many people. To thank all of them who made it possible would be nearly impossible. We would, however, like to express our sincere appreciation to those who have helped take this endeavor "from dream to reality." First and foremost, we are indebted forever to our nine founding members as well as to the generous donors to the History Book Project. Next, our thanks go to the charter members: Nancy Acevedo, Claudia Kirk Barto, Susanne Hebert, Laura McLeod, Dr. Jeanne O’Kon, Laurie Pizzo, Blanca Bichara, Dr. Mona Jain, Carrie Lee, and Kathleen Passidomo, Esq., who freely gave their time and talents. Our heartfelt thanks to Kelly Sciba and Michele Manning, who spent many, many hours of their own time to see that the project was moving forward smoothly. Special mention is also made here for the assistance given by Kimberly Mehr and Veronica Vasquez. We gratefully acknowledge Doris Weatherford for writing this comprehensive Florida women’s history book. We are also grateful to the University Press of Florida for publishing the book as well as for valuable editorial help and comments. Our special thanks to each and every one who played a part in discovering the stories behind the women that makes them unique and trailblazers. These notable women have created history. We are also thankful to many women and men for their well wishes and encouragement in order to fill a void in the history of the Sunshine State. Together we empower each other. Last but not least the foundation members offer our deepest sense of appreciation to our families for believing in us as well as for their unwavering moral support. To all others we have omitted inadvertently, please accept our sincere apologies and thanks. According to the old saying, "To err is human and to forgive is divine." Florida Commission on the Status of Women Foundation, Inc. Founding Members, "Visionaries" Blanca C. Bichara, Miami Cheryl Holley, Tampa Dr. Anila Jain, Bradenton-Sarasota Dr. Mona Jain, Bradenton-Sarasota Carrie E. Lee, Gainesville Marie Flore Lindor-Latortue, Miami Janet Mabry, Gulf Breeze Representative Kathleen Passidomo, Esq., Naples Debbie Sembler, Pinellas Park Donors, from "Vision" to "Reality" This Florida Women’s History Book Project has been made possible due to the generosity of the following: Hawa Allarakhia, Bradenton Blanca C. and Ricardo Bichara, Miami Eugenia Price Joyce Blackburn Foundation Brighthouse Networks of Manatee County for Rose Carlson, Bradenton Leah Brown, Bradenton Betty Chambliss, Bradenton LaDonna Cloud, Sarasota Community Foundation of Tampa Bay for Alex Sink, CFO Representative Faye Culp, Tampa Lynn and Dr. Arthur Guilford, Sarasota Gini Hyman, Sarasota Dr. Mona and Kailash Jain, Bradenton-Sarasota Kappa Delta Foundation, Inc. for Dr. Anila Jain, Chair, Bradenton-Sarasota Carrie E. and Dennis Lee, Gainesville Manatee and Sarasota Commissions on the Status of Women Miami-Dade Commission for Women Dorothy Middleton, Bradenton JoAnn Morgan, Melbourne Representative Kathleen Passidomo, Esq., Naples Mary Runnells, Bradenton Linda Simmons, Tampa St. Petersburg Times Fund (Lynda Keever) Mariamma and Dr. George Thomas, Bradenton University of South Florida for Dr. Judy Genshaft, President Amy VanDell, Bradenton Anne Voss, Tampa Renee Warmak, Tampa Senator Marlene Woodson-Howard, Bradenton
Publisher: University Press of Florida
ISBN: 081305933X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 433
Book Description
"Well-crafted and in-depth, They Dared to Dream has moved women, their experiences, and their contributions to the forefront of Florida's history and heritage. This is a long-overdue and much-needed turning point in understanding our state's past and present."--Canter Brown Jr., coeditor of The Varieties of Women's Experiences "Represents a leap forward in the study of Florida history. Weatherford has done an outstanding job of researching and writing about Florida women, from paupers to queens, elevating their status to a level of equality within the overall story of Florida."--Rodney Kite-Powell, Saunders Foundation Curator of History at the Tampa Bay History Center and editor of Tampa Bay History "Exhaustively researched, well written, and engaging, They Dared to Dream breaks new ground in the study of Florida. Doris Weatherford's ambitious history of women in Florida will be widely read and discussed. From Princess Ulele to Alex Sink, from the role of criollas in Colonial St. Augustine to the struggles of women in the twenty-first century, Weatherford chronicles their lives in the Sunshine State."--Gary Mormino, author of Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams In this extensive portrayal of Florida's guiding matriarchs, Doris Weatherford highlights the myriad contributions women have made throughout Florida's history. From the select few who traveled with Ponce de Leon to the state's first female mayor Marion H. O’Brien, Weatherford sheds light on the roles these pioneering women played in the shaping of the Sunshine State. They Dared to Dream reveals the lifestyles and achievements of women throughout landmark moments in history, including Native civilizations before the arrival of European colonists; early Spanish, British, and French exploration, the Civil War era, Reconstruction, the early twentieth century, and the population explosions post-World War II. Featuring often-celebrated personalities--including Mary Martha Reid, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton--alongside the lesser-known lives of Princess Murat, lighthouse keeper Barbara Mabrity, Florida Memorial College founder Sarah Ann Blocker, and others--this pivotal examination of Florida's female agents of change draws attention to women's instrumental roles in the historical events that defined the Sunshine State. From prehistoric times to the space age, the female half of the population has made giant, but too often unacknowledged, contributions to Florida history. Countless women have overcome great obstacles and yet are often left out of historical accounts. They Dared to Dream aims to fill in some of these gaps by celebrating the many successes women have made. Because without women, there is no history--nor any future. Doris Weatherford is the author of A History of the American Suffragist Movement and other reference guides on American women’s history. The Florida Commission on the Status of Women Foundation, Inc., is dedicated to empowering women and girls in our state by supporting educational, entrepreneurial and self sufficiency programs and initiatives through grants, mentoring, and other opportunities. The FCSW Foundation supports the work and programs of the Florida Commission on the Status of Women, including the Florida Women's Hall of Fame. The Florida Commission on the Status of Women Foundation, Inc. dedicates this book to: the women of the past who struggled to achieve gender equality and showed the path, the women of the present who continue with the same goal, and the women of the future who will carry the baton and make us proud.--Dr. Mona Jain Acknowledgments, by the Florida Commission on the Status of Women Foundation, Inc The Florida women’s history book project could not have been completed without the cooperation and support of many people. To thank all of them who made it possible would be nearly impossible. We would, however, like to express our sincere appreciation to those who have helped take this endeavor "from dream to reality." First and foremost, we are indebted forever to our nine founding members as well as to the generous donors to the History Book Project. Next, our thanks go to the charter members: Nancy Acevedo, Claudia Kirk Barto, Susanne Hebert, Laura McLeod, Dr. Jeanne O’Kon, Laurie Pizzo, Blanca Bichara, Dr. Mona Jain, Carrie Lee, and Kathleen Passidomo, Esq., who freely gave their time and talents. Our heartfelt thanks to Kelly Sciba and Michele Manning, who spent many, many hours of their own time to see that the project was moving forward smoothly. Special mention is also made here for the assistance given by Kimberly Mehr and Veronica Vasquez. We gratefully acknowledge Doris Weatherford for writing this comprehensive Florida women’s history book. We are also grateful to the University Press of Florida for publishing the book as well as for valuable editorial help and comments. Our special thanks to each and every one who played a part in discovering the stories behind the women that makes them unique and trailblazers. These notable women have created history. We are also thankful to many women and men for their well wishes and encouragement in order to fill a void in the history of the Sunshine State. Together we empower each other. Last but not least the foundation members offer our deepest sense of appreciation to our families for believing in us as well as for their unwavering moral support. To all others we have omitted inadvertently, please accept our sincere apologies and thanks. According to the old saying, "To err is human and to forgive is divine." Florida Commission on the Status of Women Foundation, Inc. Founding Members, "Visionaries" Blanca C. Bichara, Miami Cheryl Holley, Tampa Dr. Anila Jain, Bradenton-Sarasota Dr. Mona Jain, Bradenton-Sarasota Carrie E. Lee, Gainesville Marie Flore Lindor-Latortue, Miami Janet Mabry, Gulf Breeze Representative Kathleen Passidomo, Esq., Naples Debbie Sembler, Pinellas Park Donors, from "Vision" to "Reality" This Florida Women’s History Book Project has been made possible due to the generosity of the following: Hawa Allarakhia, Bradenton Blanca C. and Ricardo Bichara, Miami Eugenia Price Joyce Blackburn Foundation Brighthouse Networks of Manatee County for Rose Carlson, Bradenton Leah Brown, Bradenton Betty Chambliss, Bradenton LaDonna Cloud, Sarasota Community Foundation of Tampa Bay for Alex Sink, CFO Representative Faye Culp, Tampa Lynn and Dr. Arthur Guilford, Sarasota Gini Hyman, Sarasota Dr. Mona and Kailash Jain, Bradenton-Sarasota Kappa Delta Foundation, Inc. for Dr. Anila Jain, Chair, Bradenton-Sarasota Carrie E. and Dennis Lee, Gainesville Manatee and Sarasota Commissions on the Status of Women Miami-Dade Commission for Women Dorothy Middleton, Bradenton JoAnn Morgan, Melbourne Representative Kathleen Passidomo, Esq., Naples Mary Runnells, Bradenton Linda Simmons, Tampa St. Petersburg Times Fund (Lynda Keever) Mariamma and Dr. George Thomas, Bradenton University of South Florida for Dr. Judy Genshaft, President Amy VanDell, Bradenton Anne Voss, Tampa Renee Warmak, Tampa Senator Marlene Woodson-Howard, Bradenton