Dr. Ann Browning Masters at the Hispanic Culture Film Festival
Presentation: Dr. Ann Browning Masters – “Floridanos and Menorcans: Spain Still Lives Here”. A discussion on the presence of Spain through the Floridano and Menorcan descendants still living in Florida. Additionally, she will provide the historical timelines of these two Hispanic groups; sharing from her writing some of the bold, humorous, and sometimes heart-tugging Floridano and Menorcan oral traditions.
Sunday, October 6th at the St. Augustine Art Association 22 Marine St, St. Augustine, FL. Time: 2-3 p.m.
Ann Browning Masters. Dr. Ann Browning Masters is a founding board member of the Los Floridanos Society, a heritage association for descendants of First Spanish Period settlers in St. Augustine. She is a long-time member of the Menorcan Cultural Society, a heritage association for descendants of Italian, Greek and Menorcan (Balearic Island) settlers who arrived in St. Augustine in 1777. Her Floridano heritage began with the 1602 marriage of Elena Gonzalez and Diego Alvarez in St. Augustine. Her Menorcan heritage includes the Greek, Italian, and Menorcan family names of Cercopoly, Mabrumati, Pacetti, Canova, Rogero, and Pellicer. Her married name of Masters is an Anglicization of the Menorcan name Mestre or Maestre.
In 2015 she was knighted by the St. Augustine Easter Festival for her dedication in promoting St. Augustine’s Spanish heritage. A St. Augustine heritage native, she is a 12th generation Floridian.
Dr. Masters is the author of Floridanos, Menorcans, Cattle-Whip Crackers: Poetry of St. Augustine, published by the Florida Historical Society Press. Now in its second printing, her book has been described by Florida Poet Laureate Peter Meinke as “…no better introduction to America’s oldest city. These poems and commentaries are knowledgeable, eloquent and affectionate, capturing St. Augustine’s history, beauty, people, and food, along with its magical ambience.” Florida poet Lola Haskins has said that “Ann Browning Masters is not only an authentic Floridian but also a talented and generous writer who can bring the many voices of our past as alive as if they were sitting on our porches beside us, right here, right now, telling us stories. Do. Not. Miss her.
Her writing from this collection has been published in anthologies and journals, read at literary and historical conferences, recognized at the Florida Folk Festival, and recorded for the Florida State Historical Archives. She continues to read from her writing on Floridanos and Menorcans in the Eckerd College Road Scholar program. She served on the Board of Directors of the St. Augustine Historical Society, and continues as a member of its Journal of History Editorial Board.