Juneteenth marks the moment formerly enslaved people learned they were emancipated. And while some notions of freedom remained elusive in the wake of the Civil War, certain freedoms could never be stolen from Black folks even in the dredges of slavery — the freedom to love themselves and others, spiritually and romantically, the freedom to resist their own destruction. Black folks have lived and loved in many ways, and as we celebrate Juneteenth alongside Pride, this talk celebrates the history of the diverse lives and loves Black people sustained in slavery and beyond. David Ponton III, Ph.D., is Associate Professor at USF.

Often overlooked in its contribution to film history, Florida has played a key role in creating the modern entertainment industry. This presentation discusses how Florida became a “third coast” to the American film and television industries over the past one hundred years. Starting with the first film pioneers in Jacksonville during the 1900s and 1910s to South Florida’s television boom during the 2000s and 2010s, Florida has inspired countless exciting stories captured by the camera. David Morton, Ph.D., teaches film history at UCF.

The nation’s first Underground Railroad was established in Florida in the late 17th century, serving as a beacon of freedom for runaway slaves from the American South. Existing before the better-known Northern Underground Railroad, enslaved Africans gained their freedom by escaping and earning asylum in Spanish Florida. Author Magdalena Lamarre focuses on Florida’s early history as a Spanish territory, the escape routes used by runaway slaves, and the Black communities they established before the abolition of slavery in the United States

In the first weeks after Pearl Harbor pulled America into a two-front war, Germany’s U-Boats worked with impunity. Off Florida alone, they sank 24 ships. Some of Florida’s very features that attracted tourists made it a logical place for soldiers as well. The state, a strategic asset for its geography and climate, became an armed camp. Hotels turned into barracks, and hospitals, bases, and airfields increased from 8 to 172 by 1943. The sleepy southern state became one of the nation’s hotspots, and Florida would never be the same. Join Author Eliot Kleinberg for a fascinating look at World War II Florida.