It’s, one of Swampy’s heroes, Zora Neale Hurston’s 125th birthday today! Proud to have been a small part of starting the Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities years ago. I’ll be sure to remind you all of[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Here’s sharing friend John Roses’ post celebrating the momentous 100 years of, the comic strip he writes and draws, ‘Snuffy Smith’. A strip that has significant Florida connections! The strip actually saw it’s first print June 17th, 1919 as ”Take[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Sorry to learn of the death of former Rollins College president Thaddeus Seymour at 91 years old. There have been many presidents of Rollins College since it opened in Winter Park in 1885. Knowing quite a bit of Rollins history, and one[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
John Young, one of 12 people to step on the moon, died today at 87. John Young moved to Orlando from Georgia in the early ’40s and went to Princeton Elementary School (Just as did Swampy’s Florida’s Rob Smith, Jr.)[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Vernon, the raccoon, strums a country tune for Country Music Day. A nod to country music legend and Florida born Mel Tillis, who was born in Dover (near Tampa). Tillis was raised mostly down in Pahokee after his family moved[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
We can celebrate Thomas Jefferson Day here in Florida due to his grandson’s contribution to our state. From helping to establish Florida State University to his settling in Orlando, Francis Wayles Eppes made his mark in our state. Swampy’s pal,[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Swampy’s #Florida says Happy John D. MacDonald’s 100th Birthday! Swampy, the Swamp Ape, celebrates the 100th birthday of author John D. MacDonald remembering the tales of Travis McGee. It was today in 1916 that the great Florida author[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Here’s the 5thy Street Gym where Cassius Clay trained to become Muhammad Ali . Here’s a terrific website that honors the gym: http://www.5thstgym.com/history/ If you weren’t familiar with Muhammad Ali’s development at the 5th Street Gym, this photograph of Ali[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
One of “The Greatest” to come out of Florida was Muhammad Ali. As writer Cote notes below what Ferdie Pacheco, “The Fight Doctor,” famously once said, “Cassius Clay was born in Louisville. Muhammad Ali was born in Miami.” Many fight[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Jim Ivey Political Cartoon from 60 years ago today in the St Petersburg Times! While looking for today’s advertisement i came across, my old friend, Jim Ivey’s editorial cartoons from the St Petersburg Times. The onfirst is from November 17th[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Last night got to spend some time talking Florida politics and south Florida with Marion Portman, former Mayor of Surfside, just north of Miami Beach. She’s 92 now and living in The Villages. She was the first female mayor in[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…
Recorded this back in February during Pine Castle Pioneer Days in south Orange County.