It’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and the crew at "Florida Matters Live & Local" is honoring King’s legacy and the work of other Black trailblazers.
We begin by hearing how King inspired the late Georgia congressman John Lewis to become a civil rights icon, then revisit a conversation with Tampa-area politician Arthenia Joyner.
If you ever wondered what it would be like to hear King talk in person, there’s a local impersonator who reenacts his speeches and writings for audiences. He's on the show.
Finally, we learn about Eatonville, a tiny stop on Interstate 4 that boasts a home of the late Zora Neale Hurston, a pioneering author and anthropologist. The segment includes a chat with Hurston’s niece, one of the organizers of the town’s Zora Festival.
John Lewis and MLK
The author of a biography on Lewis reflects on the late congressman’s relationship with King. We trace how the Montgomery bus boycott and King’s philosophy of nonviolence shaped Lewis’ life and activism. He also explains how Lewis carried lessons from the civil rights movement into a long career marked by “good trouble” and moral courage.
GUEST:
- Raymond Arsenault, professor of Southern History and chair of the Department of History and Politics at USF-St. Petersburg
Arthenia Joyner’s path to justice
Tampa-area lawmaker Arthenia Joyner was the first Black woman to serve as Senate Minority Leader in the Legislature. She reflects on growing up in segregated Florida, her early exposure to racism, and how the Civil Rights Movement shaped her commitment to equality and justice. She also shares how those formative experiences guided her long career in law, activism and public service.
GUEST:
- Arthenia Joyner, attorney, civil rights activist and former Florida legislator
Keeping King’s words alive
Here’s a man of faith who says he’ll never forget King – or what he sounds like. He brings MLK’s speeches and spirit to life through reenactments with the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. Here’s how hearing King’s words as a child inspired a lifetime of study, activism and performance. He explains why honoring King’s voice as well as his compassion and moral vision remains central to his work today.
GUEST:
- Rev. Charles McKenzie, human rights activist and educator from Sarasota
Remembering Zora
Ever been to tiny Eatonville? The Zora Festival at the end of month is worth the drive. The cultural and art event focuses on the life and legacy of trailblazing novelist and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston. Our guests share how the festival continues Hurston’s work of preserving the African American history, music and storytelling in the nation’s first incorporated all-Black town.
GUESTS:
- N.Y. Nathiri, executive director of the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community
- Winifred Hurston, Hurston’s niece and the association’s chair of development
