Civil Rights in Florida taps into selected episodes key to Civil Rights history based in Florida. Author Robert Redd tells the stories of woman’s suffrage, Jackie Robinson, the Tallahassee Bus Boycott, 1964 Civil Rights activities and violence in St. Augustine in anticipation of the city’s 400th anniversary, and the story of Roxcy O’Neal Bolton, the long time fighter for women’s rights in the state.

These are just a few of the many very important stories involved in the struggle for equal rights and access for all Floridians. As Redd points out, the battle for Civil and Human Rights, continues strong in Florida to this day. Future historians will not be able to examine Civil Rights history without examining activities that have and continue to happen in Florida. The stories included in this volume touch on the various types of struggles in the state, and how their impacts have been felt locally and contributed nationally toward the fight for equality for all.

From ensuring women the right to  vote, to allowing equal access to seating on buses, to naming hurricanes for both women AND men, Florida has, and will continue to be, at the forefront in the struggle for equal access and rights for all. As time and access to history courses becomes more strained due to educational requirements, it is fundamental that we will the gaps with accessible material and this book does just that.

Written for readers of all ages, these stories will enlighten and provide a gateway to additional education opportunities.  With full endnotes and bibliography,  readers will be able to learn more on these subjects at their leisure.

Published in November 2023 by Arcadia Publishing. Signed copies will be available for shipping in mid-November.