DELRAY BEACH, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — It turns out glass bottles do more than serve as a delivery device for beer. They can also be used to look back into history. That’s the focus of an upcoming talk at the Spady Museum in Delray. Here are the details:
The Spady Museum is proud to welcome Crystal Geiger to talk about “Bottoms Up! Exploring Florida’s History through Glass Bottles,” at 7 p.m. May 2 at the museum, 170 NW 5th Avenue, Delray Beach, FL.
Geiger, a graduate assistant with the Florida Public Archaeology Network-Southeast in Fort Lauderdale, will discuss how archaeologists use historic artifacts to interpret sites, such as “Fort Mose: Colonial America’s Black Fortress of Freedom.” Her presentation will include examples from her ongoing thesis research to illustrate how history and archaeology serve one another to illuminate the past.
The lecture is part of the opening activities for the “Fort Mose: Colonial America’s Black Fortress of Freedom” traveling exhibit, on display at the Spady Museum from May 2-July 29, 2012. This exhibit from the Florida Museum of Natural History explores the history of Fort Mose, America’s first legally sanctioned free black community.
Based on five years of historical and archaeological research at Mose and in Spain, the 500-square-foot exhibit features this archaeological discovery and also explores the African-American colonial experience in the Spanish colonies, from the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the time of the American Revolution. This is a little-known story, and one that offers a powerful alternative image to slavery as the dominant theme in African-American history.
Fort Mose was established in 1738 by escaped slaves from English Carolina who were granted their freedom in Spanish St. Augustine. The men were made members of the Spanish militia, and the fort served as Florida’s first line of defens
e against the English to the north. These black militias became an important source of defense as early as the 16th century. The Mose militia served in a number of significant battles. The fort was abandoned in 1763, when Spain gave Florida to England, and the entire colony moved to Cuba.
The Spady Cultural Heritage Museum is the only museum of its kind in Palm Beach County. Located at 170 NW Fifth Avenue in Delray Beach, it is dedicated to showcasing the African-, Haitian- and Caribbean-American cultural contributions to the artistic landscape of Florida and the U.S. The Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency is a proud sponsor of specific museum activities, including some exhibits and lectures. The State of Florida Division of Cultural Affairs and The Auburn Group are also proud sponsors of selected museum programs. Hours: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday-Friday; Saturday by appointment. Closed Sundays. Admission: $5; Members are free. For more information, call 561-279-8883 or visit
