Florida has long captured the world’s imagination. Artists and authors have depicted it as an untamed wilderness on the edge of empire and a beautiful paradise. Adventurers, investors, laborers, soldiers, and pleasure seekers responded to this call. Some even made the state their home. No matter what drew them to Florida, many visitors created travel diaries, with race and class dictating their experiences and perceptions of Florida.
Florida is Calling and I Must Go, curated by Bridget Bihm-Manuel, is on display in the Smathers Library’s 2nd floor exhibit gallery and is open to the public during normal building hours from June 16th-August 15th, 2025.
