Very interesting.
Years ago I attended a "Cowboy Show" here in south Florida (I'm in Palm Beach Gardens, about 15 minutes from Mar-A-Lago)), and the host explained the origin of "Florida Cracker", based on the abilities of the old-time Florida cowboys cracking their bull whips as they drove cattle.
I'm 60, and I've been hearing locals refer to themselves as Florida Crackers my entire life. Generally this just means they are born-and-raised native Floridians.
Florida Cracker here, 5th generation. Born, raised, and still on a farm. Many longtime native Floridians call themselves Florida Crackers out of pride to identify their longevity in this crazy state. Has absolutely zero racial connotation. My family came here at the beginning of the civil war largely inspired by events in Georgia where the locals were hiding, sheltering, and feeding blacks who had their entire homes and farms torched by Union soldiers. The Union soldiers returned periodically to the town to water their horses at the artesian well, and if they would have seen the black families, they would have been captured and sent to Mississippi to be sold back into slavery. My family traveled to Florida then to enlist and fight, joining Finnegans Brigade. He fought -- and was wounded -- in the Battle of Olustee, simply because of inspiration from the events of Georgia.
Very interesting. Years ago I attended a "Cowboy Show" here in south Florida (I'm in Palm Beach Gardens, about 15 minutes from Mar-A-Lago)), and the host explained the origin of "Florida Cracker", based on the abilities of the old-time Florida cowboys cracking their bull whips as they drove cattle. I'm 60, and I've been hearing locals refer to themselves as Florida Crackers my entire life. Generally this just means they are born-and-raised native Floridians.
Some of my family lives in West Palm Beach and across 60 in Punta Gorda - I grew up all over the state so I’m definitely a Florida cracker
Florida Cracker here, 5th generation. Born, raised, and still on a farm. Many longtime native Floridians call themselves Florida Crackers out of pride to identify their longevity in this crazy state. Has absolutely zero racial connotation. My family came here at the beginning of the civil war largely inspired by events in Georgia where the locals were hiding, sheltering, and feeding blacks who had their entire homes and farms torched by Union soldiers. The Union soldiers returned periodically to the town to water their horses at the artesian well, and if they would have seen the black families, they would have been captured and sent to Mississippi to be sold back into slavery. My family traveled to Florida then to enlist and fight, joining Finnegans Brigade. He fought -- and was wounded -- in the Battle of Olustee, simply because of inspiration from the events of Georgia.