Department Archives: History

The UCF Africana Studies Program Awards held its annual Dr. John T. Washington Community Service and Scholarship Luncheon on Feb. 19, 2018. The awards luncheon honors Dr. John T Washington, one of UCF’s first African-American professors, by recognizing UCF students along with community adults and youth who have made outstanding contributions to our local area. […]

When Joe Tillmon was in elementary school, segregation was still legal. However in the 5th grade, when Tillmon’s all black school became an integrated institution, he found himself as one of the only two black boys in his class. One day after a social studies lesson, while Tillmon was at recess, a classmate told him […]

In honor of Black History Month, the UCF Libraries, the Department of History, and the Africana Studies program would like to announce the acquisition of two new African American primary source collections. These are the second of a two-part technology fee proposal. The first phase led to the acquisition of six new databases: Black Abolitionist […]

On August 22, 1908, the Sanford Herald published its first issue. Featuring articles about the cost of purchasing and developing farm land and details of orange culture, the first issue was named the “industrial edition” as Sanford was then known as the Gate City to Florida. News of the past is no longer limited to […]

Karen Kelly currently lives about an hour away from Paris in the historic city of Rouen, Normandy teaching English to French children. Since graduating from UCF in 2017 with a BA in History, Karen has started working as a teaching assistant through the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF). The program is an initiative through […]

In partnership with the Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities, Dr. Scot French and UCF History graduate student Gramond McPherson created an exhibit highlighting the history of Eatonville, Fl. and Zora Neale Hurston’s legacy. The exhibit narrates part of Eatonville’s history, one of the nation’s oldest African American towns. During the mid […]

With great sadness, the Department of History at the University of Central Florida announces the passing of Simon Fraser Barton, Professor of History. The renowned historian of medieval Iberia passed away in Orlando on Friday, December 15, 2017 at the age of 55. Before coming to the University of Central Florida, Dr. Barton was a […]

Professors and students from the UCF History Department presented at the American Historical Association Conference last week. Dr. Amelia Lyons, Dr. Scot French, Dr. Barbara Gannon, and Graduate student Sarah Schneider presented papers on the benefits and challenges of the Veterans Legacy Program. Dr. Martinez-Fernandez also chaired a Latin American History Session on Slavery and […]

Over 200,000 people have migrated from Puerto Rico since hurricane Maria devastated the island. Following the storm’s landfall, the Central Florida area has become a refuge to a growing number of Puerto Ricans impacted by the storm. Dr. Luis Martinez-Fernandez, UCF Professor of History, continues to share his expert knowledge on Latinos in the United […]

  Dr. Robert Cassanello and Dr. Lisa Mills recently joined Reporter Brendan Byrne at the WMFE 90.7 studio to discuss their work on an upcoming documentary film, “Marching Forward”. Slated for release in early 2018, the documentary chronicles the rise of the all-black marching band at Orlando’s Jones High School during segregation. Listen to the […]