Marco Island Historical Society “Florida Talks” — Magdalena Lamarre: Southern Road to Freedom: Florida’s Underground Railroad

The nation’s first Underground Railroad was established in Florida in the late 17th century, servings as a beacon of freedom for runaway slaves from the American south. Existing before the better-known Northern Underground Railroad, enslaved Africans gained their freedom by escaping and earning asylum in Spanish Florida. This presentation focuses on Florida’s early history as a Spanish territory, the escape routes used by runaway slaves, and the black communities they established before the abolition of slavery in the United States.

Magdalena Lamarre was a Full Professor of History and Sociology at Miami-Dade College. Since her retirement in 2016, she has conducted lectures on Florida’s history, culture, diversity, and social justice.