Florida Humanities Supports South Melbourne Stories

9/8/26 - Brevard County Public Libraries, in partnership with Florida Tech’s Evans Library and School of Arts and Communication, have been awarded a $10,000 Florida Humanities Public Humanities Grant for the 2026-2027 cycle to support the project, No Stone Unturned: Preserving History for Our Future. 

The initiative seeks to preserve and share the voices, memories, and lived experiences of residents of South Melbourne, with particular focus on the era of segregation and integration that shaped the community during the 1950s when the Melbourne Vocational School was open through the closing of Stone High School in the 1960s. Through oral histories, public conversations, and community engagement, the project will document an important chapter in Brevard County's history and ensure these stories are preserved for future generations. 

Public Humanities Grants support projects that preserve, promote, and share history and personal stories that help Floridians better understand themselves, their communities, and their state. The grant proposal was submitted by Brevard Public Libraries Director Wendi Bost in partnership with Florida Tech faculty members. Project activities are being led by Dr. Gordon Patterson, University Historian; Dr. Ted Petersen, Director of Student Media; and Nancy Garmer, Associate Dean of Libraries, who are coordinating the research, oral history collection, storytelling and community outreach efforts.  

"No Stone Unturned" will bring together Florida Tech faculty and students, community members, local leaders, and public library partners in a collaborative effort to capture stories that might otherwise be lost. The project team has already begun collecting oral histories from individuals with firsthand knowledge of South Melbourne's educational, cultural, and social history. 

The project will feature several components, including: 

• Collection and preservation of oral history interviews with community members. 
• Public panel discussions featuring local historians, alumni, educators, and civic leaders designed to encourage dialogue about local history, identity, and heritage. 
• Student participation in research, interviewing, documentation, and storytelling. 
• Podcast productions and broadcasts on Florida Tech's WFIT public radio station. 

Programming will take place during the Spring 2027 semester, with a series of public events scheduled in close succession to encourage sustained community participation and engagement. Florida Tech’s annual MLK Commemoration in January will kick off the community panel discussions which will be held in February and March at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. public library on the corner of Lipscomb and University Avenues. 

The project has received enthusiastic support from community leaders and organizations. Among those endorsing the initiative are Melbourne City Council District 1 representative Marcus Smith, Rev. Nathaniel L. Harris, Senior Pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Melbourne, and the Concerned Citizens Committee of South Brevard, local advocates for the South Melbourne community and the preservation of the area’s history.  

Florida Tech’s NPR member station, WFIT 89.5 FM, has also committed to broadcasting the podcast series produced through this project. “Airing these oral histories on public radio will amplify the voices of community members who lived through these pivotal moments, bringing their stories into the homes of listeners across the county and beyond,” WFIT General Manager Steve Yasko stated in his letter of support for the grant, “Preserving these stories is not only an act of historical documentation… It exemplifies the highest ideal of public humanities work: rooted in community, grounded in scholarship, and committed to making history accessible to all.”  

The grant reflects a shared commitment among Evans Library, Florida Tech's School of Arts and Communication, Brevard County Public Libraries, and community stakeholders to preserve local heritage and make it accessible to students, researchers, and the public. 

As oral history collection continues, project organizers welcome connections with individuals who attended Melbourne Vocational School, Stone High School, or who have memories and family stories connected to South Melbourne during this transformative period. Community members interested in participating in an oral history interview or public panel discussion are encouraged to contact Nancy Garmer @ngarmer@fit.edu or 321-674-7542.