East Coast Florida Pirates

Event Description

Florida and piracy are deeply intertwined in the peninsula’s early history. With Spanish treasure ships sailing nearby waters and the powerful Gulf Stream carrying vessels along Florida’s Atlantic coast, the region became a strategic crossroads—and an inviting target for pirates, privateers, and raiders seeking loot and plunder. East Coast Florida Pirates separates fact from fiction to reveal a pirate culture far different from the romanticized world portrayed in movies, novels, and plays. Join Zach Zacharis, Senior Curator of History from The Brown at the Shores Community Center to discover the dramatic raids and exploits that were associated with notorious figures as Sir Francis Drake, William Jennings, Robert Searles, and Blackbeard, while exploring Spain’s struggle to protect its settlements and valuable shipping routes. From attacks on early Florida communities to the legendary Golden Age of Piracy, this presentation uncovers the fascinating and often brutal story of piracy along Florida’s east coast.

This program is part of The Brown’s Museum in Motion. While our physical doors are temporarily closed during construction, the Museum is more active than ever—bringing one-of-a-kind programs directly into our community.

This program is free to the community with registration. Use the link below to register online, as space is limited. 

Click Here to Register Online