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A gifted sculptor, Florida-born Augusta Savage fought poverty, racism and sexism to become a prominent figure in the Harlem Renaissance, the period of African-American cultural outpouring in New York City during the 1920s and '30s. Her…

Patrick D. Smith

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By any measure, Patrick D. Smith is among the most distinguished and beloved writers on Florida's culture and heritage. His prolific body of work has brought him international acclaim marked by six nominations for the Nobel Prize for Literature and…

Mel Tillis

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Mel Tillis has ranked in the top echelon of country music singers and songwriters for nearly 40 years. Best known for his performing, Tillis also is a force in songwriting, having penned hit songs that made profound impacts on other performers'…

Johnny Tillotson

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Jacksonville native Johnny Tillotson has led one of the most successful recording careers in the American music industry, spanning five decades from his first hit single in 1959. Tillotson is widely regarded as one of the most important forerunners…

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich

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In 1983, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in music. Today, she is widely acknowledged as one of the most acclaimed American composers, writing largely in the post-modernist, neo-romantic style. A graduate of…