Dr. John Bratton, Ph.D. featured speaker on Cuban Chugs at Key West Botanical Garden Speaker Series

​KEY WEST, Florida Keys, FL, - The Key West Botanical Garden Society presents Dr. John Bratton, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Anthropology, University of West Florida on Saturday, May 20, 2023 at 1 pm in the Toppino Nature Chapel at the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden.  Dr Bratton will be speaking on the Cuban Chug Conservation and Restoration Project, “Documenting Hope and Resolve”.  This project will restore and protect the Garden’s existing Chug Exhibit of homemade migrant boats (Chugs).  The Chug Exhibit is the only known collection of this size anywhere.  Dr. Bratton will also discuss artifact conservation and maritime archaeology tracking the decades of history in relations between the Florida Keys and Cuba.  Cubans have helped to build Key West for the last 200 years and their story is entrenched in the history of the City.
 
In 1980, 125,000 Cubans seeking refuge legally journeyed to Florida in boats from Mariel Harbor.  The “Wet Foot/Dry foot” policy (1995-1917) allowed migrants to stay in the U.S. if they reached land.  The Cuban Chub Exhibit was established 15 years ago and represents many decades of history.  It is the only known collection of this size anywhere.  The 10 boats tell a visual story of desperate migrants seeking freedom.
 
The Garden is located at 5210 College Road on Stock Island, Key West.   Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members.  The event will also be recorded and available after this date on the Garden’s website.   For more information go to www.keywest.garden or call 305-296-1504.