History Fort Lauderdale’s “Meet the Author” Zoom Series Featuring Dr. Joe Knetsch
Thursday, 07/08/2021-, 12:00 pm-01:00 pm
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Cost: Free, live interactive Zoom session
History Fort Lauderdale, proud steward of our community’s past by making our heritage accessible and engaging to residents and visitors, will feature Florida historian Dr. Joe Knetsch on the next July 8 noon segment of its “Meet the Author” interactive Zoom series. The new free series takes place on the second Thursday of each month. Viewers may register at http://bit.ly/HFLMeetTheAuthorKnetsch.
Knetsch is the co-author with Pamela Gibson of the recently released Florida in World War I (Arcadia Publishing/The History Press, ISBN: 978-1467148290), a historical deep dive into the role a sparsely populated and largely rural Florida played as America plunged into World War I. The book delves into the state’s sacrifices and contributions with a look at its naval accomplishments – the proud USS Florida, too often mentioned as a mere adjunct to the Atlantic Fleet, receives a just accounting, as does the utterly devastating loss of the USS Tampa, the highest death toll the navy suffered in the war. Sunshine State foresters served critical roles abroad, and local libraries became essential hubs for promoting rationing and reporting news from overseas. Floridian aid workers and soldiers training for departure were stricken with the Spanish flu, a pandemic that shook the globe with force equal to the war itself.
Dr. Joe Knetsch is the author of more than 200 articles and 12 books concerning Florida history. This is his sixth book for Arcadia/The History Press and covers an area in which he has a strong interest. He has been a constant reviewer of military history books for the Journal of America’s Military Past and other professional journals. He holds a doctorate from Florida State University and, for 28 years, was the historian for the Division of State Lands, Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Since his retirement, he has continued to research and publish history. He lives in Tallahassee with his wife, Linda, and their five cats. Knetsch’s works are available through amazon.com and www.arcadiapublishing.com.
Knetsch joins novelist Y.M. Masson, architect and historic preservation consultant Arthur Jay Marcus, historian John Bailey, plus authors Kingsley Guy and Donn R. Colee, Jr. as part of History Fort Lauderdale’s prestigious “Meet the Author” series, a chance to converse with Florida-based writers, launched in February. Upcoming novelists will be announced.
History Fort Lauderdale is currently open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., with docent guided tours, daily, at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Group walking tours are available upon special request. Admission is $15 for adults; $12 for seniors and $7 for students (through age 22 with a valid student ID). Admission is free for members, military and children ages six and under. Tickets are available online at HistoryFortLauderdaleTickets.
For more information, please call (954) 463-4431 or visit historyfortlauderdale.org. Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/ftlhistory, on Instagram @ftlhistory, on Twitter @FTLHistory and subscribe on YouTube at youtube.com/user/FTLhistory.
