History

On July 10, 1893, 126 years ago, a medical breakthrough occurred as Dr. Daniel Hale Williams completed the first successful open-heart surgery. As an African-American doctor raised in post-Reconstruction America, Dr. Williams battled unthinkable racism and professional obstacles throughout his historic career.

The Civil Rights Act was signed into law 55 years ago on July 2, 1964. This legislation illegalized discriminating against individuals based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. This bill paved the way for the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which protected African Americans’ voting rights, and went on to enforce equal rights for women.

Independence Day is celebrated on the Fourth of July every year, commemorating the United States’ Declaration of Independence, which was signed in 1776.

On June 13, 1971, The New York Times began publishing the Pentagon Papers, a collection of top-secret documents exposing the U.S. strategy in the Vietnam War. The papers serve as a United States Department of Defense timeline of the country’s political and military involvement in Vietnam.

Apalachicola resident Dr. John Gorrie was an early pioneer in the invention of the artificial manufacture of ice, refrigeration and air conditioning. He was granted the first United States patent for mechanical refrigeration in 1851. Dr. Gorrie’s basic principle is the one most often used in refrigeration today: cooling caused by the rapid expansion of gases.

More than 235 years ago, with the United States in its infancy and just months away from the end of the Revolutionary War, The Pennsylvania Evening Post delivered America’s first daily newspaper on May 30, 1783.

First announced on Aug. 31, 1949, by the Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson and supported with a presidential proclamation on Feb. 20, 1950, by President Harry S. Truman, Armed Forces Day is a day to celebrate the United States’ military. Today, Armed Forces Day is observed on the third Saturday of May.

Nearly 230 years ago this week, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) was established with the signing of the Buttonwood Agreement in a meeting of 24 New York City stockbrokers on May 17, 1792.

Did you know Florida has both a state song and a state anthem?

From March 23 to May 4, the Havana History and Heritage Center is hosting the Smithsonian Institution’s “Crossroads: Change in Rural America,” a Museum on Main Street exhibition.

Among the 2018 inductees to the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame is Adela Hernandez Gonzmart. Adela was known as “the queen of Ybor City” and served as the figurehead and supreme hostess at the world-famous Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City until her death in 2001.

National Women’s History Month was created to highlight the many unsung female figures in our nation’s history. Each of us has benefited from contributions made by women who have helped to build and protect America.

Presidents Day is celebrated on the third Monday in February. The holiday was initially established in the 1880s to commemorate the birthday of the first president, George Washington. Following the passage of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, the holiday commonly came to be known as Presidents Day.

Florida’s Cabinet consists of the governor and three constitutionally elected state executives overseeing several boards and commissions, including clemency hearings.

Dictionary.com announced “misinformation” comes in first place as 2018’s word of the year, following “complicit” from last year. Misinformation is defined as “false information that is spread, regardless of whether there is intent to mislead.”

Tributes come in large and small narratives and are always impactful. President Bush’s influence on my career began when I opened his 1988 Florida campaign office. I worked on his inauguration, and later, enjoyed a four-year stint at the Republican National Committee, campaigning on Republican ideals and believing in a cause greater than myself.

A new WikiProject, Women in Red, demands greater recognition for female historical figures by increasing the number of biographies about women on Wikipedia.

America celebrates six decades of space exploration this year. On Jan. 31, 1958, the United States launched its first satellite from Cape Canaveral.

On Saturday, Sept. 29, the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge will reopen its historic lighthouse to members of the public.

From Florida’s discovery in 1513 by Spanish explorer, Juan Ponce De Leon, to our thriving 4.3 million Hispanic population, the Sunshine State is saturated in vibrant Latino culture.

Aretha Franklin was the reigning “Queen of Soul” for five decades. A preacher’s daughter, she spent her youth in his Detroit church singing gospel. While she had earlier recordings, Franklin catapulted to fame in 1967 with her hit, “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You).”

My Chicago born and bred father always dreamed of living in Florida. Prior to our Sunshine State relocation, there is 8 mm proof of summer vacation trips to the most iconic (and random) of attractions, including Six Gun Territory, Cypress Gardens, Weeki Wachee Springs and Tiki Gardens.

Since 1845, Florida’s old capitol has been a symbol of state government. With its iconic dome and red-and-white striped awnings, it remains the jewel of the capitol complex.

Tallahassee, Florida, has long been referred to as City of the Seven Hills. In fact, a 2013 post by Richard Butgereit at the Florida Division of Emergency Management reports that the Seven Hills are:

The National Archives has launched a Citizen Archivist program, enlisting virtual volunteers to improve the accessibility of its records.

As the nation mourned the passing of one of America’s national treasures, former first lady Barbara Bush wouldn’t have wanted anyone to make a fuss.

For some, May 5 means two-for-one margaritas and bottomless chips and salsa, but May 5 is more than a celebration of food and drink specials.

The Boston Marathon has been held every Patriot’s Day since 1897.

Many of us take our right to vote for granted. For women, the legal right to vote was a long-fought battle that lasted for many decades.

Dear Florida,