African Americans in Florida - Softcover

Jones, Maxine D

Softcover

ISBN 10: 156164031X ISBN 13: 9781561640317

Publisher: Pineapple Press, 1993

Synopsis

Brief essays profile over 50 African Americans during four centuries of Florida history. Traces the role African Americans played in the discovery, exploration, and settlements of Florida, through the Civil War to the Civil Rights movement.

For classroom use: one free teacher's manual with the purchase of three books.

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

People from all walks of life are represented. Josiah Walls was Florida's only congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1870s. Mary McLeod Bethune devoted her life to education, eventually founding Bethune-Cookman College. James Weldon Johnson, an author, composer, diplomat and civil rights leader, wrote the Negro Antional Anthem, "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," and was a leader in the early years of the NAACP. Clara Frye kept a hospital in Tampa open in the early 1900s. Zora Neale Hurston, an author and student of anthropology, researched and popularized Florida folklore.

This book also tells of some of the whites who were active in the fight against racial injustice and inequality. Zephaniah Kingsley, for example, a far-thinking plantation owner in the 1820s, taught his slaves skills and helped them to win their freedom. He married one of his slaves and willed his property to her. Harriet Beecher Stowe, who lived for a time in Florida, brought the evils of slavery to a wider audience through her popular book, Uncle Tom's Cabin.

To round out this survey of African Americans in Florida, the authors have provided a detailed description of the 141 sites on the Florida Black Heritage Trail which mark African American contributions to culture and history. The book also includes a month-by-month calendar of important dates that highlight the history, culture, setbacks and successes of one of the state's largest minorities.

Throughout this volume, the authors have shown not only the tremendous accomplishments of exemplary African Americans in their own communities and in the country as a whole, but also how far society must still go before continuing struggle for racial equality will be won.

From the Back Cover:

Over 400 years ago, in 1528, an African named Estevanico first set foot in Florida near present-day Tampa as part of a Spanish exploration party. Since then, African-Americans in Florida have continued to set examples of courage, perseverance and leadership. In this book you will read about some people you may already know about- such as Ray Charles and Carrie Pittman Meek- and many others whose lives are also inspirational, even if their names are not so familiar. Though many African-Americans started life in poverty and had to fight racial injustice, their stories prove that the desire to succeed can overcome many obstacles. They followed their dreams to become teachers and many other occupations. Their important contributions to the state and to the country enrich us all. This book also includes descriptions of the 141 historical and cultural sites on the Florida Black Heritage Trail and a calendar of significant sates in the history of African-Americans in Florida.

About this edition

• Publisher: Pineapple Press
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 156164031X
• ISBN 13: 9781561640317
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 190