Southern Road to Freedom: Florida's Underground Railroad - Florida Talks

Schedule

Thu Jun 18 2026 at 04:00 pm to 05:00 pm

UTC-04:00
Location

Tyrone Bryant Branch Library | Fort Lauderdale, FL

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Join us for an in-person event exploring the Southern Road to Freedom and the significance of Florida during the 17th century.
About this Event

The nation’s first Underground Railroad was established in Florida in the late 17th century, serving as a beacon of freedom for runaway slaves from the American South. Existing before the better-known Northern Underground Railroad, enslaved Africans gained their freedom by escaping and earning asylum in Spanish Florida.

This presentation focuses on Florida’s early history as a Spanish territory, the escape routes used by runaway slaves, and the black communities they established before the abolition of slavery in the United States. Magdalena Lamarre was a Full Professor of History and Sociology at Miami-Dade College. Since her retirement in 2016, she conducts lectures on Florida’s history, culture, diversity, and social justice. Lamarre earned a BA in History and Secondary Education from Hunter College, a MA in History Education from Stony Brook University, and completed post-graduate work in Sociology and Education at Florida International University.

Funding for this Florida Talks program is provided in part by Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities and in partnership with Broward Public Library Foundation. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.


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Where is it happening?

Tyrone Bryant Branch Library, 2230 Northwest 21st Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, United States

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

USD 0.00

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