by Alan Bliss, Ph.D.

As my predecessor Emily Lisska notes, I joined the board of the Jacksonville Historical Society in June, 2015. Since then my engagement with and enthusiasm for the work of the JHS has steadily grown. After helping lead our 2016 strategic planning initiative, I was honored to become board president last summer. Now I am doubly honored by the confidence that the board of directors has shown in me by this appointment, at a moment of significant change. Throughout January, Emily and I have worked concurrently to effect a smooth transition.

Everyone who cares about Jacksonville will join me in thanking Emily for her twenty-one plus years of passionate, devoted service to the JHS and to local history. Through public talks, grant applications, history tours, council meetings and phone calls, amid an ever-growing portfolio of responsibilities, she has guided this organization to its place as Jacksonville’s preeminent resource for historic preservation and education. Emily’s retirement is well-deserved, but we are fortunate that she has consented to serve in an emerita role, participating in projects that interest her. Thank you, Emily!

Plans are underway to publicly honor Emily's accomplishments. Please stay tuned.

My appointment as Interim Executive Director runs through August 31, 2018, while the search continues for a permanent successor to Emily. As Interim ED, my goal is to continue to implement and advance the ambitious vision in our strategic plan, adopted in October 2016. We are lucky to be Jacksonvillians at a time when so many good things are happening across our community. I welcome with excitement the opportunity to contribute to better understanding the history of this great city, and how that shapes our present lives!

The enthusiasm and encouragement that I have heard from so many energizes me – thank you. But, no one can do all that lies ahead alone. In the coming months, the staff and I will depend on the help and support of our membership and directors. I invite you to share with me your ideas and ambitions for the future of the Jacksonville Historical Society.

Location: Downtown Main Library, first floor gallery.

On the evening of February 7, the Jacksonville Historical Society’s photo contest entries will go on display. From 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, during the Downtown Art Walk, an opening reception will take place. At 6:30 pm the awards presentation will take place, announcing contest winners and their cash prizes.

Since 1929, the Jacksonville Historical Society has maintained the area’s largest archive of historic photographs. In 2017, JHS announced a photo contest to capture contemporary life in our community through a place, an event, the city’s people, the city’s history and architecture, the area’s social or cultural life, or a combination of these categories.

Amateur and professional photographers of all ages were invited to enter their four best images celebrating our community. There were over 60 entrants, and over 200 photos were submitted. The photos were judged based on their artistic quality, as well as their ability to creatively capture a slice of life in the Jacksonville community. The four judges were Paul Karabinis, Associate Professor of Photography at the University of North Florida; Pat Andrews, President of the Jacksonville Historical Society; Shawana Brooks, Arts and Culture Developer for the Jax Makerspace at the Main Library; and Dr. Wayne Wood, historian and author.

The contest and this exhibition were generously underwritten by a grant from William H. Jeter, Jr. and Deanne M. Clark. Prizes presented to the winners are as follows: Grand Prize winner – $1,000; Second Place winner – $500; Third Place winner – $300, and two Honorable Mention award winners – $100 each. The fifty best photos chosen by the judges will presented on display.

The Jacksonville Historical Society is grateful to all of the photographers who entered the contest, as well as the judges, the sponsors, and the Main Library. For more information about The Jacksonville Historical Society, go to www.jaxhistory.org

Sponsored by The Jacksonville Historical Society and the
Ritz Theatre and Museum

Speakers: Ritz Museum Director Adonnica Toler and JHS Interim Executive Director Alan Bliss

The Ritz Museum, a gem of Jacksonville history in its own right, is the perfect place to reflect on Black History Month and to celebrate our community’s African-American heritage. Please join us to introduce (or re-introduce yourself) to the Ritz Museum’s rich exhibits and collections, and to experience the “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” animatronic exhibit, which movingly represents Jacksonville’s famous native sons, James Weldon Johnson and his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson. Museum Director Adonnica Toler, MA and her team of docents will narrate tours of the museum.

Social half hour with light refreshments begins at 6:30 pm. The program begins at 7:00 pm, with tours starting at approximately 7:10 pm.

$5.00 suggested donation at the door to benefit the Jacksonville Historical Society and the Ritz Theatre and Museum.

Typical donations to the Jacksonville Historical Society include old documents and photographs, but the society also accepts objects with a North Florida provenance. Objects donated to the society in late 2017, included a presentation box of flatware and a set of china acquired by a local family who lost everything in the Great Fire of 1901. These extraordinary gifts were placed on exhibit in the Merrill Museum House during the holiday season.

The flatware was originally owned by the F.W. Bruce family. Captain Bruce, navigator, surveyor and engineer, worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. When he retired in 1913, the flatware was presented to him by the Corps. Captain Bruce was also in charge of designing and constructing the Merrill-Stevens Shipyards in 1917. He was one of the founding residents of the Arlington neighborhood in Jacksonville. His great­-grandson, Cleve Powell, donated the silverware to the Jacksonville Historical Society.