The Florida History Podcast

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A weekly look at a different fascintating topic in Florida History Cover art photo by Derek Reese. @DR928

The Florida History Podcast


    • May 27, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 19m AVG DURATION
    • 320 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from The Florida History Podcast with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from The Florida History Podcast

    Episode 303: American military intrigue and the Battle of Thomas Creek

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2025 12:03


    In early 1777, the American Continental Army resolved to invade Florida but they failed miserably being turned back at Thomas Creek near the modern-day Nassau-Duval County line. This ended up being the deepest penetration of American forces into East Florida during the Revolution. Despite defeat several more invasions would be planned.

    Episode 302: George Washington targets East Florida

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025 15:23


    A narrative not often told in US History is how obsessive General George Washington became about conquering East Florida and specially St Augustine. We discuss the origins in this podcast. This is the first in a series of four podcasts the next four weeks on this subject.

    Episode 301: José Solano y Bote

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2025 10:42


    We discuss José Solano y Bote the Spanish Admiral who lead the siege of Pensacola in 1781.

    Podcast Update

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2025 1:21


    We will be back with new episodes starting next Tuesday, May 13. Life happens unfortunately and both Robert and Kartik have been exceptionally busy the last several weeks.

    SPECIAL: Party Switching in the Florida Legislature

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 48:20


    With the party switch of former Senate Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo, Ryan Ray joins Kartik Krishnaiyer to discuss the history of sitting legislators leaving the Democratic Party since the 1990's and the larger general trends associated with this. Note with Kartik's recent intense focus on Canadian politics, he's applying some of those lessons of the current campaign to Florida as well.

    Episode 300: Thomas Brown

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2025 14:38


    We discuss the Georgia planter turned commander of the mixed-race East Florida Rangers, Thomas Brown.

    Tax Day Special: Billy Corben on the stadium and real estate hustle in south Florida

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 47:30


    We take time away from history this week to discuss an important current issue and how it relates to taxpayers.---Billy Corben whose production credits include Cocaine Cowboys, Dawg Fight, The U, and The U Part 2 needs no introduction to most of you. For those who don't know, he's a relentless advocate for government efficiency in southeast Florida and regularly discusses these topics on the Dan LeBetard Show. Today he joins us to discuss the soccer stadium hustle in southeast Florida and why Inter Miami CF was given land in BOTH Miami and Fort Lauderdale, why they did not build on land they already owned in Miami as well as discussing the current hustle where tens of millions in taxpayer money is going to support FIFA's World Cup efforts in Miami- as well as the relocation of some of FIFA's most important jobs from Switzerland to south Florida.Even at a time of great political polarization in Florida and the USA, the one clear thing that seems to unite Democrats and Republicans is their desire to scam taxpayers to profit off of sports venues while enabling oligarch owners of sports entities. This is a MUST-LISTEN to anyone concerned about taxpayer funds being wasted on vanity projects and real estate scams.

    Episode 299: John Stuart and the arming of native-Americans and African-Americans in Florida during the American Revolution

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2025 14:21


    John Stuart fled from the Carolina's to East Florida in 1775 and began a program of arming Seminoles and Creeks to do battle against the American rebels.

    Episode 298: Governor Patrick Tonyn

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025 15:58


    The Royal Governor of East Florida during the American Revolution was the prickly British Major General Patrick Tonyn.

    Episode 297: Bernardo de Gálvez

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 12:58


    Bernardo de Gálvez is one of the most colorful and intriguing figures of the American Revolution in Florida. We discuss him in this pod.

    Episode 296: Robert and Kartik on researching and writing a history book

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2025 17:43


    We're back after a layoff and this week we discuss the book project we're working on with a publisher on the American Revolution.

    Podcast Update: March 4, 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2025 2:29


    We do not have a new podcast this week as Robert and Kartik in the final stages of finishing the initial manuscript on a new book which will be published later this year. We hope to be back next week, but for certain we will be back the following week.

    Episode 295: The Crist Governorship

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 19:32


    One of Florida's most controversial politicians, Charlie Crist won election as Governor in 2006- he was then a Republican but didn't necessarily govern as one and would end his term as an Independent.

    Episode 294: Jeb Bush's Governorship

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2025 19:40


    Jeb Bush's transformative governorship had a huge impact on the direction of the Sunshine State.

    Episode 293: Chiles second term, Buddy MacKay's short tenure and Bush takes over

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2025 13:37


    Lawton Chiles had a rocky second term fighting a conservative legislature, and Jeb Bush crushed Buddy MacKay in the 1998 election. But Chiles died suddenly a month later ushering MacKay, who passed last month into a short one-month term as Governor.

    Episode 292: Chiles becomes unpopular but manages reelection

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2025 13:23


    The period between Hurricane Andrew and the 1994 Election saw a period in Florida politics characterized by flux and a GOP surge- which would carry us into a 1995 Legislative Session at parity between the parties.

    Episode 291: The 1990 Gubernatorial Election and first two years of the Chiles Governorship

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2025 13:13


    Presumptive Dem nominee Bill Nelson wasn't cutting it, so Lawton Chiles unretired, ran for Governor, beat Bob Martinez and began reforming Florida Government.

    Episode 290: Bob Martinez's Governorship

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2025 12:36


    Bob Martinez had a troubled Governorship and entered 1990 as an underdog for reelection.

    Episode 289: Bob Martinez wins back the Governorship for Republicans

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2025 19:02


    We talk about Bob Martinez's 1986 triumph in the Governor's race.

    Episode 288: The legacy of Buddy MacKay

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2025 12:44


    We discuss Buddy MacKay, former Florida Governor and US Congressman who passed this week at 91. Additionally, we've recorded a 1 hour video discussion about MacKay which is available at the Florida Squeeze's YouTube channel. https://youtu.be/HwO2PRL93Bk

    SPECIAL: Jimmy Carter and Florida

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2024 23:56


    President Jimmy Carter passed away today at age 100. We bring you an encore podcast taped in 2021 honoring him and discussing his links to Florida.

    Episode 287: Bob Graham

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 46:21


    It fits in our Governor's series coincidently right during our holiday break, so here is an encore presentation of our Bob Graham tribute podcast from when he passed away earlier this year.

    Episode 286: Askew as Governor

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2024 19:54


    The Governorship of Reubin Askew was a Golden Age for Florida. We discuss it in this pod.

    Episode 285: Reubin Askew is elected Governor

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2024 22:52


    The emerging Florida Republican majority took a thud in 1970 as Reubin Askew won back the Governorship for the Democrats and ushered in a decade of Dem dominance in the state up-and-down the ballot.

    Episode 284: Claude Kirk and the 1968 Miami RNC Protests

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2024 11:24


    Claude Kirk was oh so close to being on Richard Nixon's 1968 GOP ticket and with the RNC convention in Miami, it seemed written in the stars. But then protests happened and got out of control and Kirk's national ambitions were thwarted.

    Episode 283: The colorful Claude Kirk Governorship

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2024 19:00


    We discuss Florida's first post-Reconstruction GOP Governor, Claude Kirk who was a colorful populist.

    Episode 282: Leroy Collins greater legacy

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2024 16:31


    We discuss Leroy Collins massive legacy both in Florida and nationally.

    leroy collins
    Episode 281: Leroy Collins Governorship

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2024 22:51


    We've discussed Leroy Collins many times on this podcast but never taken quite the deep dive into his Governorship that we do on this episode.

    governorship leroy collins
    Episode 280: Dan McCarty

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2024 21:41


    The first Governor from South Florida died tragically in office- but changed the trajectory of Florida politics forever.

    Episode 279: Fuller Warren

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2024 17:13


    We discuss Florida's populist Governor Fuller Warren who was impeached multiple times by the legislature. NOTE: Portions of this podcast were recorded in 2019.

    Episode 278: The 2004 Election and that year's Florida Hurricanes

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2024 19:32


    The 2004 Hurricane Season was one of the worst ever experienced by the state of Florida...and coincided with a Presidential campaign centered largely on Florida and an open US Senate seat. How did it impact the election?

    Milton aftermath emergency pod

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2024 47:57


    A record breaking tropical system, one of the strongest in the history of the Atlantic basin has just ravaged Florida. Kartik Krishnaiyer, Ryan Ray and Johnathan Starling give their take on the impacts, the devastation in the Tampa Bay and Sarasota areas, the Tornado outbreak in south Florida as well as some comments on the NHC forecasting and TV meteorologists in the state and climate action.

    Major Hurricane Milton: Potential Florida History event

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2024 24:07


    Major Hurricane Milton is barreling toward the Sunshine State. A Cat 5 Hurricane with one of the lowest ever central pressures at the time of recording, we dive into some hurricane history in Florida and talk about the threats to the Tampa Bay and Orlando areas as well as the rest of the peninsula with longtime hurricane watcher Johnathan Starling.

    Episode 277: The career of Millard Caldwell

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2024 8:45


    Millard Caldwell had one of the most distinguished careers of any public official in the state's history.

    EMERGENCY POD: Helene aftermath - Historic statewide impacts especially in the Tampa Bay area

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2024 40:21


    What was supposed to the "big one" for Tallahassee ended up being a "bigger one" for the storm-ravaged Big Bend and unfortunately a potential Katrina-like event for the Tampa/St Peterburg Metropolitan area. Helene delivered statewide impacts from Miami to Apalachicola. In a state littered with historic Hurricanes, this one has made immediate and unfortunate history. We discuss this unfolding historical event in this emergency podcast.

    Episode 276: Spessard Holland

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2024 26:10


    We discuss one of the giants of 20th Century Florida public life - Spessard Holland. Holland's career saw the transition of Florida from largely rural backwater to urban-driven megastate.

    Squeezing the Season Bonus EP 1 : Fernand Amandi on Florida's Hispanic woes and what Florida Democrats can learn from North Carolina

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2024 28:30


    In this first edition of "Squeezing the Season" a special podcast we will run during Election season 2024, Democratic pollster and MSNBC contributor Fernand Amandi offers a frank look at why Florida's Hispanic vote has shifted heavily toward the GOP since 2016 as well as an in-depth look at Democrats success in North Carolina and what Florida Democrats can learn from that state.

    Episode 275: The Governorship of Sidney J Catts

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2024 19:42


    Arguably the most embarrassing figure in Florida History, Sidney J. Catts is probably the worst Governor that Florida ever had. The violently anti-Catholic and racist Governor was also inept at the actual art of Governance.

    Episode 274: Napoleon B. Broward

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2024 18:25


    Napoleon Bonaparte Broward is one of the most famous Floridians ever- he drained the Everglades threaded the needle between Populist and Bourbon Democrats while maintaining a Teddy Roosevelt like-persona. He also was close to being on the Democratic ticket as VP in 1908.

    Episode 273: The legislative impact of George Smathers

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2024 17:02


    Florida has never had a President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, Senate Majority Leader or Minority Leader or major party nominee for President or Vice President (excluding Donald Trump who wasn't exactly a Floridian). But when was Florida closest to real power? Fernand Amandi our guest argues it was during the Senate tenure of George Smathers.

    Episode 272: Oshian B. Hart

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2024 11:26


    We discuss Governor Oshian B. Hart, the first Florida native to be Governor of the state.

    Episode 271: Governor Mosley

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2024 9:48


    We discuss Florida's first popularly elected Governor

    Episode 270: Jimmy Carter wins 1976 Florida Primary

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2024 30:20


    The 1976 Florida Primary won by Jimmy Carter was among the most important in Presidential history.

    Episode 269: Richard Keith Call

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2024 19:32


    We discuss Florida's most influential territorial Governor.

    governor richard keith
    Episode 268: War Ends

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2024 13:16


    We discuss the end of the Second Seminole War and the decision to allow the Seminole that were in Big Cypress and the Everglades to remain in Florida.

    Episode 267: The Biography of Abiaka aka Sam Jones

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2024 11:41


    We discuss Abiaka/Sam Jones entire life as a great war chief and negotiator for the native people's of Florida.

    Episode 266: Abiaka (Sam Jones) and the Battle of Pine Island Ridge

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2024 10:24


    Major William Lauderdale claimed a March 1838 victory over Sam Jones at the Battle of Pine Island Ridge in what is now Broward County. But did the battle actually take place as described? Jones and the Seminole certainly lived on and fought on in the Everglades over the course of the next several years.

    Episode 265: Battles of Loxahatchee/Jupiter Inlet

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2024 13:00


    We're joined by noted local historian Josh Liller to discuss what happened right after the Battle of Lake Okeechobee. Two battles effectively won by the remaining Seminole in Florida in January 1838 helped define the draw that was the Second Seminole War.

    Episode 264: The Battle of Lake Okeechobee- Zachary Taylor claims a "win"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2024 12:45


    The 1837 Battle of Lake Okeechobee launched Zachary Taylor on his way to the White House. But did the US even really win the battle?

    Episode 263: War Starts

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2024 11:38


    We discuss the Dade Battle, Wiley Thompson's murder by Chief Osceola and the Withlacoochee Cove

    Episode 262: Second Seminole War produces famous officers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2024 21:30


    In Episode 262 we discuss the Second Seminole War producing a unique class of officers that served both the United States and Confederate States of America in the Civil War.

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