Inspired by the BBC series 麻豆精品 S淎 History of the World in 100 Objects, 麻豆精品 S� a similar project chronicling Central Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 past from early native civilizations through the state 麻豆精品 S檚 urbanization was completed recently by a UCF professor and his students.
Associate professor Robert Cassanello said the 50 video podcast episodes created by his Historical Documentary and New Media class tell the story of 麻豆精品 S渢he journey that got us all here. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S淎 History of Central Florida 麻豆精品 S� took about two years working part-time to research, write, interview and record the stories that helped shape the region.
Cassanello said when he was in graduate school he studied under urban historian Raymond Mohl at Florida Atlantic University, who impressed on students to be curious about where they live, because that community 麻豆精品 S檚 history is as important as anywhere.
麻豆精品 S淗e always felt he wanted to know the history of his community and make that accessible to people, so he has bodies of work from all the places he lived and worked as a scholar. So I, too, always wanted to ask questions and learn the history of my own back yard, 麻豆精品 S� Cassanello said. 麻豆精品 S淚 think this project is my process to learn about where I live and work. 麻豆精品 S�
Looking at the historic objects featured in the podcasts, viewers can learn about life in Central Florida through the sacred (a 1600s Spanish mission bell from the Ocala area) to the mundane (a 麻豆精品 S渕osquito beater 麻豆精品 S� of dried palm fronds tied together by rope and used to kill the insects as malaria spread across the state in the late 19th century).
From the ancient (textiles at the Windover area of Brevard County, where native peoples buried their dead 7,000 to 9,000 years ago) to the space age (Orlando astronaut John Young 麻豆精品 S檚 flight suit from his days as a space shuttle commander).
And from the segregationist past (Jim Crow signs denoting different areas for blacks and whites) to company scrip (such as Disston Land Co. 麻豆精品 S檚 payment system to workers typically in remote areas).
麻豆精品 S淭he most interesting aspect of our series, in my opinion, is that we are able to demonstrate how something that could be considered mundane can become the catalyst for telling really interesting and impactful stories, 麻豆精品 S� said Katie Kelley, who will graduate next spring with her master 麻豆精品 S檚 in history.
An example from one of the podcasts she wrote is the Russian samovar, a free-standing tea brewer that was brought to Florida in the 19th century by a family of Russian immigrants.
麻豆精品 S淚t may seem like a somewhat mundane thing, but looking at what it represents tells a really important story about how immigrants try to hold on to certain aspects of their culture and how that, in turn, influences the places they immigrate to, 麻豆精品 S� Kelley said. 麻豆精品 S淗aving only one trunk in which to pack belongings, this family chose to bring this huge item which took up a great deal of space. This, of course, speaks to the cultural relevance of the tea ritual in Russia and this family’s desire to maintain aspects of their own culture and traditions. This story demonstrates a lot of interesting ideas about the immigrant experience and it聽is told through an old, beat-up tea brewer. 麻豆精品 S�
Student Chip Ford said the most interesting thing he learned from this experience is that local history is tied into larger historical narratives.
For example, in the podcast titled “Salt and Pepper Shakers,” the narrative focuses on how the history of the shakers stenciled with flamingos and 麻豆精品 S淔lorida 麻豆精品 S� ties into a broader narrative of Florida tourism and international trade because the items were manufactured in Japan.聽聽
麻豆精品 S淭his interconnection between聽national historical and world historical narratives with local historical narratives was something that I believe is evident聽in all of the podcasts, 麻豆精品 S� said Ford, who will graduate in December with his master 麻豆精品 S檚 in history.聽
Cassanello said his classes worked with 17 Central Florida museums and historical societies to select the studied objects. The project also was supported by UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 RICHES (Regional Initiative to Collect the History, Experiences and Stories of Central Florida).
Cassanello, executive producer of the series, said he made two of the early episodes as examples, but then the students produced the rest of the installments. Some of the students had dedicated tasks, such as Bob Clarke as photographer and Chip Ford as video editor. Kelley and the other participating students 麻豆精品 S� Kendra Hazen, Daniel Vel谩squez, Bethany Dickens, Ella Gibson and Kevin Stapleton 麻豆精品 S� wrote scripts, recorded narration and provided other services.
The Florida Historical Society recognized the work that went into the project and awarded the series the Hampton Dunn Internet Awards for both 2014 and 2015, and Ford said he hopes the series stirs interest in the Central Florida public to support and visit museums.
麻豆精品 S淚 think the most salient theme [of the series] is the way in which people across time created community, 麻豆精品 S� said Cassanello, who now is researching the segregation and integration of public transportation. 麻豆精品 S淧eople are just trying to create community day after day and this is what we recorded. 麻豆精品 S�
麻豆精品 S淎 History of Central Florida 麻豆精品 S� can be accessed for free on iTunes and the project 麻豆精品 S檚 on the John C. Hitt Library website.