What We Have Endured by John and Mary Lou Missal and Willie Johns
Welcome back to our Summer Book Series! This week, we are looking What We Have Endured: A Novel of the Seminole Wars by John & Mary Lou Missal and the late Willie Johns.
Before Barbie: Spotlight on Seminole Dolls
Before Barbie…there were Seminole dolls! Dolls are having their cultural moment right now. But, did you know they have been an important and celebrated part of Seminole culture much longer than Barbie has even been around? This week, we will be exploring the beauty, simplicity, and impact of Seminole dolls. Seminoles have been making them for their children for generations. But, as Seminole tourism began to take off in the early 1900s, Seminole dolls and other crafts became important tourist commodities. We will also be shining a spotlight on the University of Florida Seminole doll collection and other South Florida collections. Much of these are online for your perusal! In our featured image this week you can see a young Seminole girl with a very early cloth head doll, circa 1900 (2001.32.1, ATTK Museum). Before the recognizable palmetto dolls you can still find today, Seminoles would make simple cloth or wooden
The Legacy of Red Barn and Seminole Cattle
This week, we're taking you on a journey through the Seminole cattle industry, with focus on the legacy of Red Barn on the Brighton Reservation.
Seminole Spaces: The Ten Thousand Islands
Discover the mysterious Ten Thousand Islands in Southwest Florida! Home to Florida's first people, these islands and mangroves hold rich wildlife wonders.
Seminole Fashion: A Vibrant Reflection of Culture and Resilience
This week, we delve into the rich history of Seminole fashion, exploring its evolution over time and its profound significance within Seminole tourist ventures.
71st Annual Florida Folk Festival
The 71st Annual Florida Folk Festival is next weekend, May 26th-28th, 2023 at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs, FL. This Friday, join us on the blog to learn about Seminole presence at the festival, its history, and how you can attend!
Seminole Bingo Booms in the 1980s
This week, learn how Seminole bingo boomed in the 1980s, and how it set the stage for the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s continued success.
Betting Big on Bingo in the 1970s
It's the 1970s! Bingo Halls and smoke shops would eventually catapult the Seminole Tribe of Florida as an international business powerhouse.
Seminole Spaces: Chickees
This week, join us to learn about a different kind of Seminole space; chickees! Prolific across South Florida, chickees are traditional Seminole houses. Chickees are a fascinating look into Seminole architecture, how it has shifted over time, and how it is reflected in Seminole tourism and history.
Federal Recognition in the 1950s
This week, join us to explore the 1950s, and how the federal recognition of the Seminole tribe of Florida would shape Seminole agency and power from then on.