Stetson Kennedy receives the Alfred J. Hanna Award from Rollins College for His Contributions to Documenting the History of Florida
March 2010

Kennedy, 93, is the second recipient of the Alfred J. Hanna Award, following Michael Gannon - distinguished service Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Florida. The award is decided by the Department of History at Rollins College and annually recognizes scholars who are devoted to the study of Florida.

As a human rights activist, Kennedy risked his life when he went undercover to infiltrate the KKK in the '50s. His contributions were essential in helping dismantle circuits of white supremacist groups across Florida after World War II. The information he collected from the Klan and other experiences during this era, like marching with Martin Luther King, Jr., are documented in his books Southern Exposure, The Klan Unmasked, The Jim Crow Guide and After Appomattox.

The Jacksonville native was one of the foremost folklore collectors during the first half of the twentieth century, publishing his collection in books such as Palmetto Country, South Florida Folklife and, most recently, Grits & Grunts: Folkloric Key West. Kennedy is a founding member of the Florida Folklore Society and is recognized in the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.