FORUM: Beyond the Pages

Colonial historian Susan Parker discusses her article, Broad Stripes and Bright Stars—a recounting of the slow but eventual transition of power that ended 250 years of Spanish rule in Florida and signaled the beginning of the peninsula's journey to statehood.Susan Parker is a colonial historian specializing in the former Spanish presence in what is now the Southern United States. She is the editor of the book "Oldest City: The History of St. Augustine."To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Historian Steven Noll discusses his article, A Dream More than 30 Years in the Making—a celebration of the long-awaited reconstruction of Fort Mose in St. Augustine. The first free Black settlement in the United States.Steven Noll is an instructional professor in the University of Florida's history department. He has published four books, including Ditch of Dreams: The Cross-Florida Barge Canal and The Struggle for Florida's Future, and most recently, Writing for the Public Good: Essays from David R. Colburn and Sen. Bob Graham, which he edited. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Archeologist Dr. Judith Bense discusses her article, Before Jamestown, Before Plymouth—a vivid look into the 250 years of Spanish Florida.Dr. Judith Bense is a historical archaeologist specializing in Spanish West Florida and the author of six books, including "Early Spanish Florida: Unearthing the history of America’s Oldest Colony," which was co-published by Florida Humanities and the University Press of Florida.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Historian Robert Cassanello discusses his article, Constituting Florida—an exploration of the many founding documents and events that helped shape the Sunshine State.Robert Cassanello is an associate professor of history at the University of Central Florida. He edited the book Crafting Constitutions in Florida by the University Press of Florida.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Children's author Sita Singh discusses her award-winning book, Mango Memories—a beautifully illustrated story about a young girl participating in a family tradition of harvesting mangoes.Earlier this year, Florida Humanities Center for the Book selected Sita's book as one of two titles to represent Florida literature at this year's National Book Festival in Washington D.C. Sita's work will be featured alongside fellow Florida Book Award winner Aracelis Gonzalez Asendorf and her book, Dressing the Saints.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Author Aracelis Gonzalez Asendorf discusses her award-winning book, Dressing the Saints— a series of short stories that vividly explore the everyday lives of Cuban Americans. Earlier this year, Florida Humanities Center for the Book selected Asendorf's book as one of two titles to represent Florida literature at this year's National Book Festival in Washington D.C. Asendorf's work will be featured alongside fellow Florida Book Award winner, Sita Singh and her book, Mango Memories. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Journalist Isaac Eger discusses his story, Consider the Cow—a brief history of the placid beasts' importance in Florida's economy and ecology. Isaac Eger is a freelance journalist and author of the new book, The Great Florida Cattle Drive. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Author Anthony Dixon discusses his story, The Saltwater Railroad—the network of routes that helped thousands of escaped slaves find freedom in Florida and the Bahamas.Anthony E. Dixon is the author of "Up From Incarceration: Dispelling the Myths of the Thug Life", "A Timeline of the African Diaspora Experience in Florida" and "Florida's Negro War: Black Seminoles and the Second Seminole War 1835-1842." To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Historian Jim C. Clark discusses his story, Close Encounters of the Presidential Kind—a look at how U.S. Presidents have visited, inspired, battled and shaped the Sunshine State.Jim C. Clark is a senior lecturer in history at the University of CentralFlorida. He earned a doctorate in Florida history at the University of Florida. He is the author of a dozen books on Florida history, including Presidents inFlorida.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Journalist and author Anne Hull discusses her story, Miami Vice—the story of how Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Edna Buchanan became Miami's quintessential chronicler of crime in the '80s.Anne Hull is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and a fifth-generation Florida native. She began her career at the Tampa Bay Times before spending nearly two decades as a national reporter for The Washington Post. Her memoir, Through the Groves, appeared in our Spring 2024 issue. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Author Ryan White discusses his story, the Song that Changed the World—a look at how Jimmy Buffett's hit 1977 song "Margaritaville" reshaped the Florida folk singer's career. Ryan White is a feature journalist and the author of Jimmy Buffett: A Good Life All the Way and Springsteen: Album by Album.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Writer Medeia Sharif discusses her story, Miami Nights — a short essay on Sharif's nightly excursions around her South Florida neighborhood.Medeia Sharif is the author of picture books Frizzy Haired Zuzu and Remembering Mom's Kubbat Halab, as well as several middle-grade and young-adult novels.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Writer Brad Edmondson discusses his story, Betting on the Farm—an essay on Edmondson's memories growing up on a family farm in Nokomis, Florida. Brad Edmonson is a writer who currently resides in Ithaca, New York. His latest book is A Wild Idea: How the Environmental Movement Tamed the Adirondacks.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Writer Charlie Hailey discusses his story, On Marjorie's Porch—a short personal essay about a winter morning outside the home of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.Charlie Hailey teaches architecture at the University of Florida and is the author of six books, most recently The Porch: Meditations on the Edge of Nature.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Author Jason Vuic discusses his story, Nowhereland—a look back at how developers created faceless communities during the lot-sale booms of post-World War II Florida. Jason Vuic is the author of four books, including Florida Book Award gold medal-winning The Swamp Peddlers: How Lot Sellers, Land Scammers, and Retirees Built Modern Florida and Transformed the American Dream. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Author Rebecca Renner discusses her new book, Gator Country—the true story of a Florida wildlife officer who goes undercover to infiltrate the world of illegal poachers in the Florida Everglades.Earlier this year, Florida Humanities Center for the Book selected Renner's book as one of two titles that will represent Florida at this year's National Book Festival in Washington D.C. Renner's work will be featured alongside fellow Florida Book Award winner, Sara Echenique and her book, Our Roof is Blue.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Meteorologist Jeff Masters discusses his article Flight into Fury— a retelling of a daring flight Masters was a part of as a hurricane hunter for NOAA. A flight Masters says he almost didn't return from. Jeff Masters is the co-founder of the Weather Underground website. He is currently a meteorologist and blogger for Yale Climate Connections. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Children's author Sara E. Echenique discusses her new book, Our Roof is Blue—a heartfelt story about two siblings who work to recover and rebuild after Hurricane Maria destroyed their home in Puerto Rico.Earlier this year, Florida Humanities Center for the Book selected Echenique's book as one of two titles that will represent Florida at this year's National Book Festival in Washington D.C. Echenique's work will be featured alongside fellow Florida Book Award winner, Rebecca Renner and her book, Gator Country.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Photographer Bill Yates discusses the story Age of Innocence—a look at the series of 1970s photographs from Tampa's Sweetheart Roller Skating Rink that made Yates "an overnight sensation."The popular images were originally featured in the art photography book: Sweetheart Skating Rink. Yates is currently working on a sequel to the book titled Sweetheart Nights which he plans to release later this year. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Food writer Dalia Colón discusses her new book, The Florida Vegetarian Cookbook. Colón’s more than 100 recipes and personal stories guide readers to discovering flavorful dishes that showcase Florida’s bounty of fruits, vegetables, herbs and grains. Dalia Colon is a frequent contributor to FORUM magazine. Her recurring A Taste of Florida column explores the stories behind some of the state’s most iconic recipes. Outside of her work with FORUM, Colon is also an Emmy Award-winning multimedia journalist and the host of WUSF’s The Zest podcast and WEDU's weekly arts and culture show, Arts Plus.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Writer Francisco Alvarado discusses his article, One More Serve,  which looks at the history of jai alai—a once popular sport that is currently trying to revive its former glory. Alvarado is a Miami-based print journalist whose work has appeared in The Real Deal, Florida Bulldog, The Washington Post and The Daily Beast.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Florida historian Gary R. Mormino discusses his article, Gridiron Glory — a deep-dive on the cultural history of football in the Sunshine State. With a personal essay from veteran journalist Bill Maxwell, the story explores Florida's fervor for football and the game's connection to some of its growing pains. Gary R. Mormino is the Frank E. Duckwall Professor Emeritus of History at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. He won the Florida Humanities 2015 Florida Lifetime Achievement Award for Writing and serves as Florida Humanities scholar in residence. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Writer Eric Barton discusses his article, Send in the Clowns. The story dives into the not-so-funny history of one of Florida's winningest baseball teams. Eric Barton is a freelance journalist who has written for publications like Outside, Food & Wine, and Flamingo.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

We're diving into the world of sports in Florida for the next season of FORUM: Beyond the Pages.Listen to revered writers and journalists discuss the stories featured in the Spring 2024 issue of Florida Humanities' award-winning magazine, FORUM. From Florida's deep-rooted passion for college football to the rise and fall of Jai Alai, every episode is a look at the state's sports lore.Stay tuned for new episodes coming in March. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Author and South Florida native Jonathan Escoffery discusses his article, Color Me King—a personal essay about a childhood memory that may have inspired the writer's first book.Jonathan Escoffery is the author of the international bestseller If I Survive You, a collection of eight short stories that follow the struggles of a Jamaican family who builds a new home in Miami. The book has been nominated for more than a dozen awards, including the Booker Prize and the National Book Award. To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Historian and author Gregory Nobles discusses his article, Audubon, Revisited— a profile on the nationally renowned bird artist who was also a slaveholder. Gregory Nobles is Professor Emeritus of History at Georgia Tech, in Atlanta. He is the author of John James Audubon: The Nature of the American Woodsman and, more recently, The Education of Betsey Stockton: An Odyssey of Slavery and Freedom.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Writer Craig Pittman discusses his article, Gatorland. The story examines the history and behavior of a species that has become synonymous with Florida all over the world.Craig Pittman is a columnist for the Florida Phoenix and cohosts the popular “Welcome to Florida” podcast. He is the author of six books, including The State You’re In: Florida Men, Florida Women and Other Wildlife.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

FORUM staff writer Janet Scherberger discusses the many eco-adventures she went on across the State for her article, Let's Go Wild. A former journalist and outdoors enthusiast, Scherberger traversed the state looking for what makes up Florida’s great outdoors – from snorkeling in the Dry Tortugas to exploring the Panhandle’s network of underground caves.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Florida historian Robert A. Taylor discusses his article A Salty Story.  The story chronicles the rise of Confederate Florida's profitable salt mining industry in the midst of the Civil War.Robert A. Taylor is a professor of history and the dean of the College of Psychology and Liberal Arts at the Florida Institute of Technology. He has edited, co-edited, authored and co-authored eight books — many of which focus on Florida’s role in the Civil War.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Journalist, professor and environmentalist Leslie Poole discusses her feature story: To Preserve and Protect — a snapshot of the crossroads Florida's environment is currently facing.Leslie Poole is an associate professor of environmental studies at Rollins College in Winter Park. She’s a fourth-generation Floridian who focuses her research on how grassroots activists, particularly women, have fought to save the state’s natural beauty and resources. Keep an eye out for Leslie's latest book, Tracing Florida Journeys: Explorers, Travelers and Landscapes Then and Now. It will be co-published by the University Press of Florida and Florida Humanities and released in Spring 2024.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities

Welcome to FORUM: Beyond the Pages, a new podcast from Florida Humanities. Each episode will take listeners behind the scenes of the award-winning magazine, FORUM, and speak to the writers who bring some of the most fascinating Florida topics to life.To read the digital edition of FORUM magazine, go to floridahumanities.online. And to receive the latest issue of FORUM magazine delivered to your door three times a year, consider becoming a Florida Humanities member at floridahumanities.org/membership.Follow us on Social Media!Facebook: @floridahumanitiesInstagram and X: @flhumanities