Historical Society of Bay County Program on the Battle of Marianna, Florida

BAY COUNTY, FL - In honor of Black History Month, the Historical Society of Bay County will host a program on the Battle of Marianna,Florida, on Monday, February 26, 6 p.m. at the Bay County Public Library. Our presenter, Dale Cox, is a distinguished author and acclaimed historian. Special emphasis will be placed on the participation of the 82nd and 86th US Colored Infantry and the account of Armstrong Purdee. Born into slavery, Purdee became a prominent attorney, business man, community leader and newspaper publisher in Jackson County. He was eight years old when he witnessed the battle of Marianna and other military actions. This program is free and open to the public.

Dale Cox is a native of Jackson County, Florida. He holds degrees in history and anthropology, and is the author of 19 books and hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. He is a descendant of the Creek Indians and his research interests include the Creek, Seminole and Civil Wars in our area. He was the inaugural president of the Florida Panhandle Cultural and Natural Resources Association, a non-profit organization to assist museums and historic sites in their recovery from Hurricane Michael. He is a board member of the Northwest Florida Maritime Landscape Alliance for Preservation.