September 26, 1997

Reubin O'D. Askew
(Distinguished Professor of Public Policy, Florida State University)

"A Conversation with former Governor Reubin O'D. Askew"

A former prosecuting attorney, state legislator, Governor, former chairman of two federal commissions, and Ambassador and Cabinet member, Reubin Askew has served at every level of American government. Askew attended Florida State University (B.S. 1951), and after a stint in the Air Force, he attended the University of Florida Law School (J.D. 1956). Askew practiced law in Pensacola and in 1958 was elected to the Florida legislature. Askew served in both the House and Senate until his election as governor in 1970. Askew's tenure as governor placed him among the leaders of a new generation of progressive Southern governors. The Askew years have been widely characterized as years of achievement, reform, and successful transition for Florida. In fact, one study conducted at Harvard University rated Askew as one of the ten greatest American governors of the 20th Century. In 1979 Askew joined President Jimmy Carter's administration as a U.S. trade representative. In 1984 Askew sought the Democratic presidential nomination. Since that time he has remained active in the study and discussion of Florida's public policy issues.

October 30, 1997

Canter Brown, Jr
(Historian in Residence, Tampa Bay History Center)

"Ossian Bingley Hart, the Tampa Area, and the Birth of Florida's Republican Party"

Canter Brown received his Ph.D. in history from Florida State University in 1994. He is an award winning author, public speaker, and leading authority on the history of nineteenth century Florida. His numerous works include, most recently, Ossian Bingley Hart: Florida's Loyalist Reconstruction Governor (Baton Rouge, 1997), Florida's Peace River Frontier (Orlando, 1991), and Fort Meade, 1849-1900 (Tuscaloosa, 1995). Dr. Brown has also published articles in such journals as the Florida Historical Quarterly; Louisiana History; Tequesta; and Tampa Bay History. The Florida Historical Society has awarded him its Rembert W. Patrick Memorial Book Award and Governor LeRoy Collins Prize. He also has received the Southern Jewish Historical Society's Benjamin H. Levy Prize.

January 22, 1998

(Photo not available)

Arch Frederic Blakey
(Associate Professor of History, University of Florida)

"The Florida Phosphate Industry, An Overview"

Arch Frederic Blakey was born in West Pam Beach, but grew up in Pahokee, Florida. He received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D degree from Florida State University. Professor Blakey has held teaching appointments at Florida State, the University of Southern Mississippi, and most recently the University of Florida. His major field of specialization is the U.S. in the nineteenth century with special emphasis on Southern, economic, and military history. His first book appeared in 1973, The Florida Phosphate Industry: A History of the Development and Use of a Vital Mineral, published by Harvard University Press. Since that time Professor Blakey has published many articles and three more books, including General John H. Winder (Gainesville, 1990), and most recently, Rose Cottage Chronicles: The Bryant-Stephens Families of North Florida (Gainesville, 1998).

February 19, 1998

Larry E. Rivers
(Professor of History, Florida A&M University)

"The Peculiar Institution in Florida: 1821-1865"

Larry E. Rivers holds degrees from Fort Valley State University (B.S.), Villanova (M.A.), and Carnegie-Mellon University (Ph.D.). Dr. Rivers is the author of numerous articles of African-American, Southern, and Florida history. He has received over thirty-five awards for his research, publications, and services to the community, including the Florida Historical Society's Arthur W. Thompson award (1984), and the Association for the study of African American Life and History's Carter G. Woodson Award (1994). In 1994, he served as co-director of the research team commissioned by the Florida legislature to investigate the 1923 Rosewood Incident. He has also contributed thematic chapters to a number of publications, the latest two being, The African American Heritage of Florida (Gainesville, 1995) and Florida's Heritage of Diversity (Tallahassee, 1997). His articles and reviews have appeared in the Florida Historical Quarterly, Journal of Negro History, Social Education, Social Studies Journal, Georgia Historical Quarterly, and Tequesta.

March 19, 1998

Frank"Mick" Schubert
(Joint History office, Joint Chiefs of Staff)

Mick Schubert and Gordon Olson have been following Spring Training in Florida for the past twenty years and are now writing a book on the subject.

Frank N. Schubert holds degrees from Howard (B.A., 1965), the University of Wyoming (M.A., 1970), and the University of Toledo (Ph. D., 1997). He also served as an army officer in Vietnam (1965-68). Dr. Schubert has been a Department of Defence historian for twenty years and has written extensively on engineer exploration of the trans-Mississippi West, military construction and black military life. He is the author of On the Trail of the Buffalo Soldier: Biographies of African Americans in the U.S. Army, 1866-1917 (Wilm., 1995) and Black Valor: Buffalo Soldiers and the Medal of Honor, 1870-1989. (Wilm., 1997).

Gordon L. Olson, an active member of the Mayo Smith Society, holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin and the University of Wyoming. As City Historian Mr. Olson publishes articles, books and produces video-taped programs about Grand Rapids history. The author of six books, Olson is past president of both the Historical Society of Michigan and the Michigan Oral History Association. He also served on the board of directors of the National Council on Public History.