A Morning with Jody Baxter Noll

Gain new insights into the intersection of labor activism, gender equality,and political transformation through a rarely discussed but pivotal chapter in Florida’s history.

On Sunday, August 24, Books & Books Coral Gables will host A Morning with Jody Baxter Noll, who will discuss his new book The 1968 Florida Teachers' Strike: Public Sector Unionism and the Fight Against Sunshine State Conservatism. In this work, Noll examines the nation’s first statewide teachers’ strike, which saw more than 27,000 Florida educators resign in protest to demand better working conditions and public sector bargaining rights.

The book reframes this critical moment as part of a broader, overlooked wave of labor militancy during the late 1960s and ’70s. Noll highlights how the largely women-led teacher workforce used the strike not only to improve education but also to challenge assumptions about gender roles and push for racial and social justice. He also places the event within the context of Florida’s emergence as a national model for modern conservatism, spotlighting the role of Republican Governor Claude Kirk in shaping the New Right’s political strategy.

Noll, a history lecturer at Georgia State University, brings academic rigor and compelling storytelling to a narrative that resonates with ongoing debates around labor rights, education and political power in America.

Admission is free, and copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing.