Government and Politics in the South – serie

Writing for the Public Good presents a selection of over 100 important opinion pieces from David R. Colburn (1942-2019) and Senator Bob Graham, two of the most influential public figures in contemporary Florida. Spanning 30 years and addressing a wide variety of topics that continue to be relevant today, these essays show the key role of Florida in modern American life and politics and illustrate the power of civic engagement in tackling issues facing the nation.Exemplifying public writing that connects with and informs readers everywhere, these pieces appeared as op-eds in outlets including the Miami Herald, the Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa Tribune, the Orlando Sentinel, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Politico, and Time. With style, intelligence, and thoughtfulness, Colburn and Graham examine subjects including the economy, race relations, public education, the environment, national intelligence, and international affairs. They look to history to give context to the social problems of today, and they point forward to constructive solutions that center on the role of citizen activism.Together, these essays chart the history of modern Florida, reflecting the state’s rise to a Sunbelt powerhouse that is often at the center of national conversations. Colburn and Graham challenge readers to consider and discuss different perspectives on current issues and, above all, to respond. Readers will come away with renewed hope that their actions can make a difference to improve society and will be inspired to work for a better tomorrow.

The history and enduring legacy of a breakthrough case in criminal justice reformIn 1940, the United States Supreme Court decided in Chambers v. Florida to ban confessions obtained through mental or physical coercion in criminal trials. This landmark ruling laid the groundwork for many later protections for those in the custody of law enforcement. This book shows how the case contributed to what is now known as the “criminal procedure revolution,” a series of Supreme Court rulings that found protections in the Bill of Rights applied not only to defendants in federal cases but also to those in state legal systems.The trial that sparked this chain of events resulted from the robbing and murder of a white fish market owner in Pompano, Florida, in 1933. Local law enforcement officers extracted confessions from four Black migrant workers after a week of torture and abuse. Simuel McGill, a Black lawyer based in Jacksonville, mounted appeals, kept the accused men safe from lynchings, and eventually took the case to the nation’s highest court, where Justice Hugo Black, among other parts of the ruling, compared justice systems in the Jim Crow South to those of totalitarian nations in 1930s Europe. This book fully explores the case, often overlooked by historians, and its ripple effects—such as the “Miranda rights” formalized in 1966, including the “right to remain silent.”Chambers v. Florida and the Criminal Justice Revolution demonstrates the influence of African American lawyers in early criminal and civil rights cases, as well as the growing public awareness of abuses of power by white sheriffs and law enforcement authorities during this time. It highlights the ever-present need to safeguard protections for minority and impoverished individuals accused of crimes, reminding readers that with perseverance and vigilance, justice can prevail.A volume in the series Government and Politics in the South, edited by Sharon D. Wright Austin and Angela K. Lewis-Maddox

An authoritative resource on state and local government and political processes in Florida, ideal for students and useful for researchers, professionals, and citizensFor more than 35 years, Government and Politics in Florida has offered authoritative information on the operations of government and nuances of politics in the Sunshine State. Published in three previous editions (1991, 1998, and 2008), the book has consistently featured contributions by Florida’s most well-known and respected political scientists.In this fourth edition, editor Edwin Benton emphasizes change as a defining characteristic of the state in recent decades, bringing together a group of leading contemporary scholars to provide an updated overview of current state and local government and politics. The chapters in this book include discussions of changes and events since the publication of the third edition, such as the state’s recent population growth, increasing racial and ethnic diversity, presidential and midterm elections, the COVID-19 pandemic, recessions and inflation, healthcare policy, and rising political polarization.From the executive branch to the legislature, from the court system to political parties, this book serves as an ideal introductory text for courses on Florida government. It is also a valuable resource for those who work or volunteer in Florida politics, or for residents interested in learning about the political processes and institutions of their state.

The history and enduring legacy of a breakthrough case in criminal justice reformIn 1940, the United States Supreme Court decided in Chambers v. Florida to ban confessions obtained through mental or physical coercion in criminal trials. This landmark ruling laid the groundwork for many later protections for those in the custody of law enforcement. This book shows how the case contributed to what is now known as the “criminal procedure revolution,” a series of Supreme Court rulings that found protections in the Bill of Rights applied not only to defendants in federal cases but also to those in state legal systems.The trial that sparked this chain of events resulted from the robbing and murder of a white fish market owner in Pompano, Florida, in 1933. Local law enforcement officers extracted confessions from four Black migrant workers after a week of torture and abuse. Simuel McGill, a Black lawyer based in Jacksonville, mounted appeals, kept the accused men safe from lynchings, and eventually took the case to the nation’s highest court, where Justice Hugo Black, among other parts of the ruling, compared justice systems in the Jim Crow South to those of totalitarian nations in 1930s Europe. This book fully explores the case, often overlooked by historians, and its ripple effects—such as the “Miranda rights” formalized in 1966, including the “right to remain silent.”Chambers v. Florida and the Criminal Justice Revolution demonstrates the influence of African American lawyers in early criminal and civil rights cases, as well as the growing public awareness of abuses of power by white sheriffs and law enforcement authorities during this time. It highlights the ever-present need to safeguard protections for minority and impoverished individuals accused of crimes, reminding readers that with perseverance and vigilance, justice can prevail.A volume in the series Government and Politics in the South, edited by Sharon D. Wright Austin and Angela K. Lewis-Maddox