Happy Birthday, Florida!

By Peter Schorsch

from Florida Politics Sunburn 3.3.2020

March 3, 2020

March 3 is the 175th anniversary of Florida statehood.

It’s also a perfect time for millions of Floridians to reflect on the interesting and exciting history of the state we all love — whether you're a native or (more likely) one of the majority who adopted Florida as their “home.”

To commemorate the occasion, Sachs Media Group is announcing plans to work with private, public and nonprofit partners on a statewide public education initiative called "Happy Birthday, Florida!" — using this milestone to increase awareness about the rich history of the "Sunshine State."

According to a statement from Sachs, the yearlong campaign will feature several elements: a 30-minute television special for broadcast statewide and in schools, an informational website, a public opinion survey reflecting the level of knowledge among residents about our state, social/digital elements, special events, and a variety of other tools to educate, entertain and celebrate the key people, places and moments in Florida’s history — like the "two Henrys": Henry Flagler and Henry Plant, whose pioneering visions spurred the development, respectively, of Miami and Tampa.

The campaign will also connect Florida’s early days to the "Space Age" and its vital role in both, as well as the 400 cities and towns that are essentially the places that define Florida's quality of life.

“Today is a great time to reflect on how far we’ve come since Florida became the nation’s 27th state on March 3, 1845,” said Ron Sachs, who also produced statewide initiatives on Florida's 150th anniversary of statehood in 1995 — and the "Viva Florida, 500" initiative in 2013, the 500th anniversary of Ponce de Leon's “discovery” of Florida. “We’re honoring the amazing story of our state and our citizens by creating an exciting, educational, and entertaining project to highlight Florida’s grand history and heritage all-year long.”

The goal of the initiative is to enhance civic awareness and understanding of Florida’s history. A wide range of sponsors will support the multipronged effort — from the private, public and nonprofit sectors.