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Museum Great Floridian Designee @ Florida OCHP

The Great Floridian Program

The Great Floridian designation is presented annually in recognition of the outstanding achievements of men and women who have made significant contributions to the progress and welfare of this state.

Under Florida Statute 267.0731, an ad hoc committee, comprised of representatives of the Governor, each member of the Florida Cabinet, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Florida Secretary of State, meets to nominate citizens for designation as a Great Floridian. Following that, the Secretary of State selects no fewer than two nominees to be officially named a Great Floridian. Since the program began, 36 persons have been designated Great Floridians.

Unlike the Great Floridian 2000 program, which was completed in 2000, the current Great Floridian program may designate either living or deceased individuals.
The following is a list of all the Great Floridians who have been designated to date.

Great Floridians

Name Year Description
Talbot "Sandy" D'Alemberte 2010 President Emeritus of The Florida State University (FSU), dean of the FSU College of Law. State Representative, and former President of the American Bar Association.
Paula Hawkins 2010 Florida's first female U.S. Senator, consumer rights advocate and champion of children and families.
Archbishop Joseph Patrick Hurley 2010 Preserver of The East Florida Papers, and civic leader of post -World War II St. Augustine.
Tony Jannus 2010 Pilot of the world's first scheduled commercial flight.
Dr. Sarah McKay 2010 Business, cultural and civic leader, and philanthropist.
Captain David McCampbell 2010 The U.S. Navy's all-time leading ace, and Medal of Honor recipient.
Eddie Rickenbacker 2010 America's leading World War I ace, Medal of Honor recipient, and pioneer of commercial aviation.
Pedro Menendez de Aviles 2009 Spanish admiral who founded St. Augustine and first Governor of Spanish Florida
Governor Bob Martinez 2009 Fortieth Governor of Florida (1987-1991)
Dr. Mae McMillan 2009 Educator and founder of Pine Crest School
Eugene Patterson 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, editor and CEO of the St. Petersburg Times
Charles W. Pierce 2009 19th century Southeast Florida settler and one of the legendary "Barefoot Mailmen"
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning author
May Mann Jennings 2008 Florida First Lady 1901-1905
Conservationist and Activist
Congressman E. Clay Shaw, Jr. 2008 U.S. Congressman – 1981-2007
Harry T. Moore 2007 Civil rights activist
Senator Connie Mack 2007 U.S. Senator
Richard Keith Call 2006 Third and Fifth Territorial Governor
Julia DeForest Sturtevant Tuttle 2006 "Mother of Miami"
William Pope DuVal 2005 Florida's First Territorial Governor
1822-1834
Al Hoffman 2005 Philanthropist
Cultural and Arts Sponsor
Civic Leader
Governor Spessard Holland 2004 Florida's 28th Governor
1941-1945
Governor Fuller Warren 2004 Florida's 30th Governor
1949-1953
Mary Call Darby Collins 2003 Lifelong Preservationist
Henry Morrison Flagler 2003 Industrialist and Developer
Zora Neale Hurston 2003 Writer and Folklorist
Henry Plant 2003 Industrialist and Developer
General James Alward Van Fleet 2002 Combat Commander, Military Leader, Four-Star General
Mary McLeod Bethune 2002 Educator and Activist
Dr. John Gorrie 2002 Physician, Scientist and Inventor
William Henry Getty (Bill) France 2002 NASCAR Founder and Motor Sports Promoter
Richard (Dick) Pope 2002 Cypress Gardens Founder
Florida Tourism Promoter and Publicist
Senator Mallory E. Horne 2002 Florida House Speaker and Senate President
Horacio Aguirre 2001 Publisher and International Journalist
Founding Editor, Diario Las Americas
Lawton M. Chiles 2001 Florida's 41st Governor, 1991-1998
U.S. Senator, 1971 - 1989
Reubin O'D. Askew 1998 Florida's 37th Governor
1971-1979
William Patrick Foster 1998 Bandleader, Florida A&M "Marching 100"
Chesterfield Smith 1997 Advocate for Justice
Florida's First American Bar Association President
E.T. York 1997 Florida University System Chancellor
University of Florida Interim President
IFAS Program Founder
Cecil Farris Bryant 1994 Florida's 34th Governor
1961-1965
George A. Smathers 1994 U.S. Senator
1951-1969
Stephen C. O'Connell 1993 Florida Supreme Court Justice, 1966-1967
President, University of Florida, 1967 -1973
B.K. Roberts 1990 Three Time Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court
Chester Howell Ferguson 1988 Attorney, Business and Civic Leader
Claude Denson Pepper 1988 U.S. Senator, 1936-1951
Congressional Representative, 1963-1989
Presidential Medal of Freedom, 1989
Ben Hill Griffin, Jr. 1987 Civic Leader and Citrus Baron
Marjory Stoneman Douglas 1987 Writer and Environmental Activist
Alonzo "Jake" Gaither 1984 Legendary Head Football Coach, Florida A&M University
Thomas LeRoy Collins 1981 Florida's 33rd Governor
1955-1961