American History   

Join Beverly Lafferty as she discusses the journey from Armistice Day to Veterans Day and how we remember those who served.  An outline of the history of Armistice Day will be discussed, as well as why it came about.  Participants will learn about the transition to Veterans Day and how we honor and remember those who served our great country.

This panhandle born girl rose from obscurity to be a giant in aviation and in business. Though not receiving the publicity that Amelia Earhart is accorded, she accomplished much, much more in a life filled with triumphs and heart break. At one point she held every woman's aviation record, was instrumental in forming the WAAC (Woman's Auxiliary Army Corps), the WASP (Woman's Airforce Service Pilots), was an acclaimed test pilot, was the first woman pilot to break the sound barrier, and was the driving force in forming the first woman's astronaut group.

Come join in the viewing of Pearl Harbor: The Real Story on the 80th anniversary that shows rare photos and video clips of the attack from both the U.S. and Japanese sources. It has many accounts from men and women who were there, and shows their compelling stories. The last half hour is devoted to all of the military installations as they looked in 2001. It also includes a video tour of the USS Arizona and Utah memorials above and below the water, as well as the airstrips that still show damage and spot repairs. Because of the length of this video, it will meet for two days.

The Marshall Plantation Raid by black Union soldiers on March 10, 1865 was the only time the Civil War came to Marion County. Misrepresented and inaccurately portrayed historically, this presentation tells the untold story. This crazy raid had a unit of black men travel 100 miles behind enemy lines. The story of their exodus-like journey is gripping. Hear the truth!

America is a land in which extremism is no longer on the fringes of our society, but now exists in the national mainstream. Although our national focus has been primarily on the threat from foreign terrorist groups, domestic groups pose a far greater threat to our democracy. These groups have always been here, especially the radical right ones, but they resided on the dark fringes of society. That is no longer the case. Their numbers have increased dramatically in the past 20 years and have migrated into the mainstream. This presentation will look at how this happened, what its implications for our democracy are, and what can be done to counter it.

After the Mexican War ends, the United States unofficially divides. A dozen years later, the country will officially split and cause the Civil War.
What caused this divide and how did it continue to split? Could the secession of the southern states been stopped?

A look at the American Civil War without going too deep into military strategy. What was the basic plan for both sides, and why did the Union eventually defeat the Confederate forces? Warning- this is a very quick overview that will not go very deep into topics.

The Great Depression and World War II were two of the major catastrophies of the 20th Century. These sessions intend to examine the U.S. before and during the Great Depression and then as it approached and ultimately became involved in “The War.” While obviously connected, each session can be viewed and attended as a separate entity. 
The Great Depression and the Road to World War II- This presentation aims to take us through the catastrophic economic collapse of the Great Depression as it persisted through the 1930’s and influenced the world’s approach to World War II. The emphasis will be primarily on the U.S. but events in Europe and Asia will be referenced.

The final period of turmoil and bloodshed that ended in the Civil War and its disastrous consequences for Florida. The strife that was an everyday reality for the Native Americans, settlers, slaves, soldiers, and governments came to a horrible climax after the Second & Third Seminole wars followed closely by the Civil War. Learn about these most violent and disturbing years of the state’s history. The almost hundred years of killing and destruction was finally over. What happened shaped and controlled Florida’s next 80 years.

Large scale use of Railroads in warfare first took place during the American Civil War, where trains delivered troops into battle and served as ambulances and a means of evacuating civilians. This discussion includes the building of the railroads and the dangers and discomforts of traveling on them. Also, original railroad items from the Civil War are displayed and explained.

Courage is where you find it. High in the skies over the Pacific. Or, slogging in the muddy mountains of Italy.

West Palm Beach graduate Commander David McCampbell was the US Navy’s most famous "Ace" in the Pacific in WWII, shooting down 34 Japanese planes and Commander of the Air Group on the carrier Essex. He set a record for shooting down 9 in one day.

James Henry Mills, born near Mulberry Florida, was often called the "Sargent York of WWII." His single-handed exploits in a battle defy any movie writer's duplication. When called to be decorated, his fear was he would be court-martialed for losing his rifle during the battle. His life of hardship is a sobering tale of how some of our bravest fare.