7 Questions With Madonna Wise, Florida Historian and Author

 

Madonna Jervis Wise grew up in rural Indiana and her love for history started early. She was fascinated by the history of her family, the Jervis'es, and the legends of her home town in Carroll County. As an adult, she moved to Florida with her husband Ernie and began teaching history to high school students.   In 2010, Madonna started with a simple project of researching the historical valedictorians and salutatorians at Zephyrhills High School, (her daughters were valedictorian in 2001 & 2012 respectively). For the centennial celebration of the high school, they wanted to design a plaque for these students from the last hundred years. As she began researching this history, Madonna became increasingly more excited by the stories of education in this century old school. 740 pages later, her first historical book Tapestry-Zephyrhills: An Anthology of Its History Through Education was published cataloging the history of ZHS from 1910-2010.    Since then, Madonna has gone on to publish numerous books in the history genre and is continuing into genealogy, historical non-fiction, cookbooks and fiction. She has released three books in the prestigious Images of America series with Arcadia Publishing/History Press: Zephyrhills, Dade City, and Wesley Chapel. As a retired principal who also has credential as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, she weaves an understanding of individuals and groups in a diverse array of communities. Her latest two books focus on real historical characters from her research.   In her spare time, Madonna is an avid equestrian, master gardener, and active member of the community. She is the proud mother to three children: Jervis, Mamie, and Rachel; and a doting grandmother to five beautiful grandchildren. Access her web page at https://madonnawisebooks.com/home

1. How and/or when did you get you hooked on history?

I sat at the feet of two very unique and interesting grandfathers- James and Marvin in Indiana! James was a blacksmith in World War I who lied about his age to enter the Army and serve in the calvary at age 16 in the European theatre! I certainly didn't know what Post Traumatic stress was at age six but later came to realize that it impacted him throughout his life!  James brought history to life for me and shared my obsession for horses which still exists today as I am a lifelong equestrian! The other grandfather was a genealogist of sorts and he related tales of our family hierarchy! Marvin's enormous pride in the paternal side of my family caused me to check out his somewhat exaggerated stories and even get me into DAR! Later in my life a couple of profound professors ( Dr Roscoe Frazier from Purdue and Dr Dwight Mickelson from Taylor) really turned me on to research  and more formal historical investigation as I was a first generation student!

2. What role does history play or has it played in your personal life?

I revere family history and it is an avenue for sharing and growth! About twenty years ago I created a cookbook entitled "Juanita In Blue" as a way to mourn the passing of my mother! I printed it for my three adult children and included photographs and vignettes from my mother's hometown restaurant! The cookbook which is also published is a source of memory and reflection for our family and my three adult "lawyer" children phone every once in a while to ask me something like "What is lard" 

Further history plays an enormous role in the way I experience day-to-day life!

3. How is/How was history a part of your professional life/career?

I graduated from Taylor University with a degree in history and taught history at the high school level for nearly a decade before obtaining an MA in school counseling and administration. Later I taught history with an online school and nearing retirement  (I retired from both Pasco and Polk Counties and worked as a teacher, school counselor, principal, district administrator, and grant writer for 38 years) I began writing and publishing history books and doing research pretty much full time after retirement although the federal grant writing and writing for six newspapers had honed my writing skills throughout my career.

4. Why is studying/knowing history important?

The old adage is out there that 'history repeats itself' which may be true but that is not my motivation! To me as a historin and counselor I see the influence on individuals and more recently I have come to believe there are generational components to history in families! The history of a location is essential to understanding a community and I seek that out for myself and others. ( I take this to the limit! When I was first named a public school principal- I sought out every previous principal to interview and for the one deceased principal- I interviewed his wife. I believe knowing the past story is essential to understanding)

5. What is your favorite period or aspect of history to learn about and why?

Frontier history is my favorite time frame! My rural roots brought me face to face with tools and lithics and artifacts and I have always had a desire to figure out the purpose and usage which led to more understanding of life in different periods!

I also gravitate to the years of the Great Depression as I heard so many stories about those 1930 years growing up! Any time I can delve into WPA and the FDR recovery times I am also a happy camper! Around Florida as you probably know - when you see a limesone building such as the ones in Hillsborough state Park etc you will be seeing WPA project work and so many are being torn down now!

6. What led to your interest in Florida history?

A centennial celebration in Zephyrhills perhaps enmeshed me into Florida history! I put together the centennial celebration and was the Grand Marshal of the parade! I wrote two books on the community and then began a program of writing further community books! An extraordinary colleague, Jeff Miller sat up a central Florida website  https://fivay.org/ and we collaborated again and again on research almost daily! ( This sounds like your Histocrats!) A few years later Arcadia Publishing and History Press wanted me to write an additional book on a growing area known as Wesley Chapel and I resisted because it was a desolate and unpopulated area and I really didn't think there was adequate info! After some coaxing I found descendants of about five of the original homesteaders and through personal invitation- I interviewed the families and they allowed me to scan their photographs and letters and papers! We even drew a progressive map of the community collectively It solidified my love of Florida history and I've gone from there!( Many of the family members I interviewed became surrogate families and unfortunately many have passed now but there were about five who phoned me once a week with a new finding or 'great' story about a cracker whip or where someone else was  buried or whatever! They were endearing!

My best selling book is "A Haunted History of Pasco County" which I was recruited to write! This is where the folklore piece comes in as many of the findings involved superstition and customs.

7.        Please discuss your most recent and/or upcoming projects?

My latest book (#15) is out in November and is entitled "Lakeside Inn- Legacy of Mount Dora." It is without a doubt my most researched piece and it tells the story of Florida and particularly Mount Dora from the viewpoint of the oldest continuously operating Inn in the state of Florida! Alexandra and Jim Gunderson recruited me to write this book and they allowed me to look through the archives of the 140 year old Inn which included the over five-month stay at the Inn by former President Calvin Coolidge and his wife Grace in January of 1930 just after he left office! The Coolidge story was very confused with Calvin's 1928 and 1929 Florida visits so I digressed in the book to discuss his 1928 excursion through Florida to attend the Pan American Conference in Cuba and his 1929 visit to dedicate Bok Tower! The book is comprehensive and it predates the Inn which began in 1883 with even prehistoric discoveries! The Lakeside Inn project really solidified my interest in thematic history which I've always known was a love! The book took me to a great interview that Ben Brokenboke did for the Florida Historical society on Coolidge and super consultation experiences with UF and Rollins and great folks! I am anxious to get the proofs back any day! The Gundersons also own the Hacienda Hotel in New Port Richey and love history! The story of the Lakeside Inn is quite intriguing as it encompasses the 'orange culture' and Chautauqua! I am so thankful that the Gundersons wanted me to be diverse because I covered the unvarnished view of history with the Groveland issues and more! 

7 Questions With Carter Lee Churchfield, Seattle Historic Tour Creator and Guide

     

    Carter Lee Churchfield is a veteran narrative historian with experience ranging from beneath the sidewalks of Seattle to the beaches of Honolulu. Currently she is giving a women's history tour about six tough ladies in Seattle's past. She will soon debut her new tour, A Racial History: How Seattle's Population Has Changed Over Time (1875-1950). For details on Carter's Seattle tours you can visit her website,  Tours by Carter. For special requests, her email is ToursByCarter@gmail.com.

1. How and when did you get  hooked on history?

I started out as an aspiring actress, as a summer gig I took a tour guide job in Seattle. I liked that there was no script, I could just learn about events and people and uncover the real drama like an archaeologist uncovers an artifact by brushing away the dirt. 

The reactions of my audiences told me I was giving them an experience that would linger. They laugh, sometimes they cry. But they leave with a sense of connection to our collective past. That is what thrills me. 

2. What role does history play or has it played in your personal life?

I originally moved to a historic neighborhood, Chinatown Honolulu, to create and give a WWII Red-Light Tour. What I quickly discovered was an untapped goldmine of history and a population eager to connect to their own past. I came for a selfish reason, I like telling stories, but what I found humbled me: An unfamiliar, complex culture that is directly affected by an assault on their way of life. People in Hawai`i have very strong emotions about the events that led to the islands coming under U.S. control. That is why I created a tour about the last queen and the overthrow. It was my love letter to the islands. 

3. How does history play  a part of your professional life/career?

Seeing as how I won my own little historical walking company, yes!  My dream is to one day offer enough tours that appeal to customers to make giving tours my only job.

4. Why is studying/knowing history important?

It's the same people a hundred years ago who expelled the Chinese from Seattle in a violent mob that are sending immigrants to illegal prisons in El Salvador today. It's the same people who overthrew the Hawaiian government that rioted on January 6th, 2021. It's the same people who repealed women's right to vote in Afghanistan in 1970 that are trying to change voting laws now. We need to be able to recognize them to better resist them.

5. What is your favorite period or aspect of history to learn about and why?

I like a good underdog story! People who subvert the intentions of an authority trying to keep them down. 

6.      How did you become a history tour operator? How did you go about crafting the Six Women of Seattle tour and choosing the particular women?

I was in Seattle and I needed an adventure after helping a loved one  pass from breast cancer. I went to Hawai`i and had some wonderful years delving into another culture and its history. My first tour there was about the red-light district in Honolulu during WWII. It was both hilarious and appalling! Most of the former brothels were still standing. I came back to Seattle in 2022 to marry my husband, a Seattleite. 

There are lots of tours already in Seattle and I wanted to say something no one else was saying. A women's history tour seemed like my best chance at that. 

 I originally was going to try to paint with very broad strokes but decided along the way that more personal narratives would make more of an impact. I found about thirty wonderful women I wanted to talk about but narrowed down to six due to location! These six women just happened to have the most to say to it was a remarkable coincidence that they are all tied to places within a few blocks of each other. 

7.       What do you hope your guests take away with them after their tours and what do the tours mean to you?

 When I give a tour I do my best to channel the woman I am talking about. I also share a part of myself. I hope my guests leave feeling a sense of connection and catharsis. These tours are my most loved creations. 

7 Questions with Dr. Barbara C.Cruz: Educator, Historian, and Author

 

Dr. Bárbara C. Cruz is Professor of Social Science Education in Tampa, Florida. She is a former

high school history teacher. Today, she works with both pre- and in-service social studies

teachers. Her current project involves the infusion of visual art in teaching social studies, an

offshoot of a Fulbright Global Scholar award she completed in Alicante, Spain.

1. How and when did you get hooked on history?

My high school American History teacher, Ms. Lani Dunthorn. She was passionate about her

subject and, before the term “individualized instruction” was used, employed exactly that

strategy. I remember being bored to tears by our classroom history textbook and not completing

the assigned readings. She offered me the option to read Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the

Wind instead, with some ancillary research activities to determine what was fact and what was

fiction. Brilliant!

2. What role does history play, or has it played, in your personal life?

I am an immigrant from Cuba, coming to the U.S. in 1966 under the Immigration and Nationality

Act of 1965 signed into law by President Johnson. Like many immigrant kids, I served as both a

linguistic translator for my family as well as a cultural mediator. What I would learn in school, I

would later teach my parents at home. We became American citizens on July 4, 1976, the U.S.

Bicentennial. History is part and parcel of my and my family’s personal and professional

journeys.

3. How does history play a part of your professional life/career?

I earned a Bachelor’s in Social Studies Education from the University of Miami, followed by

Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Social Studies Education from Florida International University.

Each of these degrees focused on the curriculum and instruction of the social sciences, with

history at the core. My programs of study all required courses in history --- world, U.S., Latin

American --- and I have continued to weave these learnings in my work, both in the classroom

and in publications.

4. Why is studying/knowing history important?

People from all walks of life must know not only their own history, but that of others. How can we

be part of the human race without this knowledge?

5. What is your favorite period or aspect of history to learn about and why?

Such a tough choice to make! I guess I would have to say the U.S. Civil Rights Era. Although I

lived through it, I was a child at the time. I remember being confused by so many events and

people (especially since I was not yet fluent in English and my parents could not always help me

understand). So now, learning about that period helps me make sense of those memories and

brings me back full circle.

6.   Your “day job” is as a professor of social science education.  What are particular challenges

that you see facing your students in 2024 as future social studies teachers and how do you

prepare them to be great teachers?

The future (and current) social studies teachers I work with report so many distractions I never

had to face as a novice teacher. Social media and the rise of misinformation is a huge problem

among young people. I try to help teachers teach critical media literacy to their students.

Educators are also facing encroachment by politicians and community groups, resulting in harsh

curricular mandates that are not always in the best interests of students or teachers. I always

remind my students that ultimately, they are curricular and instructional gatekeepers,

professionals who have agency in their classrooms.

7.       Your books include a history of the Cuban sandwich and an award-winning children’s

biography of César Chávez.  What kinds of stories pique your interest as a researcher and

author?

I love the idea of revealing “hidden histories.” My first book for young people was a biography of

the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. It’s hard to imagine now because she has become a cultural

icon, but when I started the research in 1994, she was little known in U.S. popular media. Since

then, I have written books for both young learners as well as teachers. My work also allows me

to explore and publish scholarly works on a wide variety of topics such as teaching English

language learners, the history of segregated beaches, using visual art to teach about social

issues, and the history of LGBTQ communities within the larger historical context.

The Cuban sandwich book has been a fun project and my co-authors and I thoroughly enjoy

introducing people to one of the hallmarks of my culture.

7 Questions WIth Eliza Knight, Historical Fiction Author

 

Eliza Knight is an award-winning, USA Today and international bestselling author. Eliza is an avid history buff and her love of history began as a young girl when she traipsed the halls of Versailles. She also writers women's contemporary fiction under the pseudonym, Michelle Brandon. Eliza is a member of the Historical Novel Society, Novelists, Inc., Women's Fiction Writing Association, Tall Poppy Writers, the creator of the popular historical blog, History Undressed, and host on the History, Books and Wine podcast. Knight lives in the sunshine state with her husband, three daughters, two dogs and a turtle. Her latest books are Can't We Be Friends, a collaboration with Denny S. Bryce, and The Queen's Faithful Companion.  Her website is https://elizaknight.com/  .

1. How and when did you get hooked on history?

As a child growing up, my father was a huge history buff. We lived near D.C. so spent weekends at museums, and watched a lot of documentaries at home. I was also very lucky to have grandparents who lived in France, so from an early age, I spent a lot of time at castles and French museums as well.

2. What role does history play or has it played in your personal life?

Beyond forging a career as a historical writer and podcaster, I love to spend time at historical sites and museums. I travel around the world learning about history just for fun, and I'm fortunate my family loves to join me.

3. How does history play a part of your professional life/career?

As an author, I get to spend all day in the past with events that really happened and sometimes with people who really lived. I love to bring history and people to life for readers. As a historical podcaster, I love to learn about people and events in history and talk about them with other authors and librarians.

4. Why is studying/knowing history important?

In order to grow as a person and as a society, we need to learn from our past. Learn what worked, and what didn't. Humans are very good at evolving, and without knowing the past, it is hard to reach newer and greater heights of achievement.

5. What is your favorite period or aspect of history to learn about and why?

Great question! I want to say that I don't really have a favorite period, because I'm interested in all of them! But I do love to learn about women in history who forged their paths and fought through adversity. Those are the stories I like to tell. Much of history was written by men, for men, and so the stories of the women are often lost, but are just as important to know.

6. In your opinion as an author and/or reader, what are the essential qualities of really good historical fiction? 

A really good historical fiction novel immerses you in the time and place. You feel like you're in the room where it's all happening, and rather than getting pulled out by paragraphs that feel like a historical lesson, you learn by experiencing the times and events with the characters. To me, a good historical fiction, is like time traveling.

7. As an author in search of stories to tell, what kinds of stories catch your attention? Are there common themes that run through your historical fiction?

I love stories of women who striving to achieve something. And they don't always win, but they do make an impact. I think a strong theme in my novels are independent women, but also friendships and interpersonal relationships. Whether I'm writing about mothers/daughters, sisters, friends, lovers, dogs, there is always that connection between people that I think is imperative to survival.

7 Questions with Robert Redd, Author and Florida Historian

Robert Redd lives in central Florida.  He earned a B.A. in American Studies from Stetson University and an M.A. in Public History from American Public University System. He previously served as the Executive Director for the New Smyrna Museum of History., and he is currently the Cultural Coordinator for Volusia County, Florida. He considers himself a regional historian with wide-ranging interests. As of November, 2023, he has written or co-written seven books about Florida history, with another on the way soon. His website is https://robertreddhistorian.com/ .

1. How and when did you get hooked on history?

I suppose the interest has always been there. It just took something to bring it out. One

summer while in college I worked in the college bookstore so I got to handle a lot of titles

and see what was being used in courses. From there, I chose my major, American

Studies.

2. What role does history play or has it played in your personal life?

A lot of my personal life revolves around my interest in history. My wife and my

honeymoon revolved around several locations steeped in history. While many folks seek

out beaches, theme parks, or all-inclusive resorts for vacations, we are looking for areas

with history we can explore, museums, areas with a cultural impact.

I seldom read fiction. I am usually reading history for research projects or personal

interest. Right now, my nightstand has books on Bloody Sunday, the American Civil War,

the donut in American history, and several journal articles for a project I am working on.

3. How does history play a part of your professional life/career?

For the last 10 years or so, history has been an important part of my professional life. I

served as Executive Director for a small community museum for four years before

moving into a role in county government.

4. Why is studying/knowing history important?

I think the study of history is often more important in a broader context rather than

knowing every field movement on a specific battlefield.

Knowing and understanding the past, which are two different things, can help us

understand the present and how we arrived here. The past can also help guide us

toward the future. We can understand patterns and trends that have repeated

themselves. Hopefully, in spotting trends, we can avoid those that have proven harmful

in the past.

By understanding the struggles, of say, African Americans and women in gaining the

right to vote, we can understand and hopefully address their concerns and anger as

voting rights cases make their way through the legal system.

The study of history also allows for students of any age to develop critical thinking skills.

They are better able to analyze information and determine its credibility. The ability to

independently think is something that seems to be disappearing in our world.

5. What is your favorite period or aspect of history to learn about and

why?

This actually becomes a difficult question. I suppose an overriding interest has been the

American Civil War. Living a far distance from most major battlefields however can put a

damper on that enthusiasm. For such study, being able to walk the fields is crucial in my

estimation.

A recent interest has become the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre in Derry, Northern

Ireland. While that particular day is crucial in the study of the issue of Catholic civil rights

and the struggle for Irish independence, it leads to so much more and how did issues

come to such a head that day. What does that day, fifty years ago, mean to those still

living with the tragedy today.

Finally, having worked in a small community museum, I find it important on a local level,

to keep up with things happening in your community. The type questions I most often

received were about restaurants, hotels, other businesses, people, buildings, and roads.

These were things that people were asking about from their lifetime. They weren’t

usually asking about events from 100+ years ago. They were asking about things from

say the 1950s through the early 2000s. Are we doing a good job of preserving that type

of history so that in another 50 years when people are asking about things from their

childhood (you know, the good ole days,) we are able to answer? I think the answer is

often, no. The reply I often receive is, oh, it will be on the internet. Well, maybe.

6.        In addition to being an author, you serve as the Cultural

Coordinator of Volusia County Florida. What does that job entail exactly?

I do work for the County of Volusia, in Parks, Recreation, & Culture. As Cultural

Coordinator I work with the county Art in Public Places program. This program ensures

that new construction projects with a public element follow county ordinance in having a

very small percentage of their construction budget allocated to public art. The most

recent project has been a remodeling of Daytona International Airport and adding art to

their collection.

 

I monitor and oversee the county Community Cultural Grant program. This program

helps provide operating funding to qualified 501C organizations. This fiscal year the

county if proving funding to 30 culturally based (art, history, music, theatre, etc.)

organizations. These organizations submit applications which are vetted and scored by

the Cultural Council advisory board. I work closely with the Cultural Council throughout

the year and serve as their staff liaison.

I also handle grant writing for Parks. I often create a primary draft which Is then reviewed

and edited. I handle much of the grant reporting for awards we receive. The most recent

application I have completed involves replacing a deteriorating seawall that if not correct

could endanger boat ramp access to a popular body of water.

I work with other cultural initiatives the county may be involved in. I have helped create

historic markers, I respond to inquiries from the public, and “other duties as assigned.”

7.        Please tell us about a couple of your recent and/or upcoming

book projects?

My most recent book is titled Civil Rights in Florida. That is my seventh book published

with Arcadia/History Press. It covers stories such as Jackie Robinson, the 1955

Tallahassee Bus Boycott, woman’s suffrage in the state, and more.

In May 2024, my next book will be released. I am honored to be co-author with Dr. Nick

Wynne and Dr. Joe Knetsch on a book titled Florida in Flight: An Aviation History. This

will also be published by History Press and is an introduction to the history of flight in

Florida.

Currently, I am at work on a book tentatively titled Florida Scoundrels. This will probably

be released in early 2025. I’m about half way through it right now. It will tell the story of

some of the many “scoundrels” throughout Florida history. I plan to avoid the obvious

such as Aileen Wuornos, Casey Anthony, George Zimmerman, and the like. There’s too

easy in a way and people are tired of them.

 

7 Questions With "Katherine Sewing" - Historical Fashion and Hair Blogger

 

Katherine runs the Youtube channel, blog, and instagram "Katherine Sewing", where fllowers learn about historical hair care and hand made fashion.  She loves learning about history in a deep sense, not just what happened and why, but what other perspectives there are on that, and what it felt like to live and dress in historical times.  She enjoys examining how their perspectives differed from ours, and how we can apply that to understanding our cultural blind spots today. Her website is https://www.katherinesewing.com/ 

1. How and when did you get  hooked on history?

I have a love of history in my blood. My Dad built the home I grew up in with a Victorian design and used historical stone masonry techniques. The earliest drawings I remember making as young child were of women wearing historical dresses, or women from ancient Egypt. I got hooked on vintage style as a teenager, and later full blown historical fashion as well as hair care in my early twenties. I felt disenchanted with not only modern fashion and hair care, but also many modern ways of "doing life".

2. What role does history play or has it played in your personal life?

I love delving into historical solutions to my modern problems, such as historical clothing and hair care techniques. Myself and most of the members of my immediate family all have a love of history and historical aesthetics, that show up for us differently.

3. How does history play  a part of your professional life/career?

History is the inspiration for everything I create and the subjects I research. As a late teenage I got into professional oil portraiture, inspired by the historical masters. Now I create online content around interpreting historical sewing, dressing, and hair care into modern day life.

4. Why is studying/knowing history important?

Studying history is important because it is the only way to gain a more complete perspective of the way our world and life is today. This allows us to critically evaluate practices and ways of thinking which would otherwise be taken for granted. Thus, studying history gives us more freedom to craft our life and worldview in the way that serves us best, rather than mindlessly accepting current norms which may have already been proven unsuccessful (or otherwise unsuitable for us) by history.

5. What is your favorite period or aspect of history to learn about and why?

I love learning about historical fashion, hair care, and art. I also have a love for classical literature. I am attracted to all of these topics because I feel that more effort, time and thought were put into these (and other) areas throughout most of history, due to their different primary aims in the past. I believe they were led primarily by the pursuit of beauty and excellence, rather than utilitarian, mass production, or commercial aims. Especially when it comes to literature, I feel that I can relate and find more substance in historical literature. As a Christian, I am also of late enjoying studying early Church history to better understand my faith.

6.  What is "Katherine Sewing" and how did it come about?

 "Katherine Sewing" is the online enterprise I have created, that first began as an excuse to prioritize and film my historical fashion projects. It has now evolved into the primary income source for my family, and allows me to share my expertise and inspire others in the areas of historical hair care, aesthetics, and creativity.

7.  what do you hope followers of "Katherine Sewing" take away with them?

I hope followers of "Katherine Sewing" come away with a love for beauty, and a willingness to take the time to  achieve it. I also hope they come away with an ability to think critically about our current ways of dressing and  caring for ourselves. I also hope to inspire women that motherhood is not a death sentence to our creativity, but  can rather be a source of inspiration.