“Military in the Sunshine State”

The Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida and Northwest Florida State College will present Florida Humanities “Road Scholar” Gary R. Mormino, Ph.D. on January 20 for a daytime lecture at the college and an evening screening of a documentary film. A noted scholar and historian, Mormino will present a free community lecture to discuss “Military in the Sunshine State” on January 20 at 1:00 p.m. at the NWFSC Niceville campus in the Building K College Mall community gallery. The presentation willdiscuss Florida’s military history including the role of Eglin Air Force Base. At 6:00 p.m. that evening, the Heritage Museum, located at 115 Westview Avenue in Valparaiso, will host a free viewing of the film Florida Dreams - The Story of Modern Florida and How It Grew based on Mormino’s bookof the same title. The documentary traces the great social, cultural, and economic forces (migration, immigration, civil rights, tourism, retirement, technology and politics) that drove Florida’s rapid growth from a sparsely populated, southern backwater to today’s multicultural mega-state over thepast half-century. In addition to chronicling the state’s metamorphosis thus far, The Florida Dream examines some of the environmental and quality-of-life issues facing Floridians today, includingconcerns about protecting natural resources and creating more sustainable ways of living. Mormino will lead a film discussion following the video presentation. Light refreshments will be served. Mormino is the Frank E. Duckwall Professor of History and Co-Director of the Florida Studies Program at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus. His appearance in the area is part ofa local partnership between NWFSC, the Heritage Museum and the Florida Humanities Council, to present a series of community education programs called “Florida: Then and Now” which focus on regional culture and heritage. Now in its fifth year, the series of free public lectures by noted historians and humanities scholars provides quality programming to the local and regional communities. Mormino remarked on this “opportunity to finally share with the public the fruits of months or years of scholarship…is an energizing social experience that keeps loyal scholars on the road.” Future “Florida: Then and Now” presentations include Ben Green, author of the book Before His Time: The Untold Story of Harry T. Moore, America's First Civil Rights Martyr on February 3, 2010 at 12 p.m. at the Heritage Museum. On April 7, 2010 at 12 p.m. at the Heritage Museum, Stephen Craft, author of the book Embry-Riddle at War: Aviation Training During WWII, will address Embry-Riddle’s role in Florida and aviation training. And finally, on April 16, 2010 at 12 p.m. at the Heritage Museum, Norma Harris, Research Associate at the Archaeology Institute at the University of West Florida, will present “Defining Pensacola and Fort Walton Cultures (AD 1100 to 1763) in the Western Florida Panhandle.” The Florida Humanities Council (FHC) is an independent, non-profit organization that is the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Each year FHC funds hundreds of public programs throughout the state that explore Florida's history, folklore, environment, literature,music, and art. The Niceville-Valparaiso AAUW was among numerous community organizations throughoutthe state to receive a grant that funds humanities programs. For more information about Florida:Then and Now lecture series, contact Pam Smith, Project Director, at 678-5484 or at pamsmith2@cox.net. For more information about FHC grants, contact Susan Lockwood, Grants Director at (727) 873-2011or at slockwood@flahum.org.