Tallahassee Historical Society
February 8 Meeting
When I told Matt Lutz, City Archivist and longtime THS member that I had invited his cousin, Diane Roberts, to speak to the Tallahassee Historical Society on February 8, the color drained out of his face, and he took a step backward as if I had gobsmacked him with a 2 x 4.
“You’re going to need more security,” he muttered, shaking his head and hurrying on his way. When I reminded members at our January 11 meeting that Diane was upcoming, there was a nervous twitter throughout the audience, and a few chuckles.
I would be surprised if there are any long time residents of Tallahassee who don’t know Diane, and aren’t related to her in some way. She is 8th generation Florida, a journalist, author, academic, who can be—often at the same time—hilarious, infuriating, incendiary, and quite brilliant. What she cannot be is soft-spoken. She has written for everybody under the sun, from the Tampa Bay Times, to the New York Times, to NPR. I check her out on the Florida Phoenix every week or so, but only after I’ve taken my blood pressure medication. She teaches southern literature and southern culture in the FSU English Department. About once a year, she will write a column about how violent and damaging college football is, and then in the next breath confess what a diehard Seminole fan she is. Twenty years ago she published a wonderful family history/screed called “Dream State: Eight Generations of Swamp Lawyers, Conquistadors, Confederate Daughters, Banana Republicans, and Other Florida Wildlife” that is being reprinted in March.
I have wanted her to speak to the historical society for some time. I am pleased beyond measure that she accepted, and I think you will be too.
And a very special thank you to KC Smith, longtime THS member, who has graciously offered to be our food sponsor this month!
