The Apalachicola Area Historical Society (AAHS) will be presenting another one of their fascinating Spring Speaker Programs, “Holiness Churches and Honky Tonks: The Life of a Preacher's Kid” featuring Billy Blackman on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 4:00 pm at the Raney Carriage House, 126 Market Street, Apalachicola, FL.  One additional Spring Speaker Series event is scheduled on May 18 with Jack Rudloe.

Explore the fascinating intersection of holiness churches and honky tonks, backsliding and Electric Sliding, hardy guffaws, wannabe outlaws and a shouting man of God with polydactyly. And don’t forget the Elvis impersonators, the foot washers, and the preacher’s dentures scooting across the church floor like a hockey puck with a Polident glow. Billy’s poignant and funny collection of stories about life as a preacher’s kid, his guitar and his dream of bright stages inside dim honky tonks is filled with keen observation and insightful humor.

Billy Blackman is an area author, journalist, musician, horse farrier, and storyteller who resides in Wewahitchka, Florida. He spent 18 years as editor of the Havana Herald newspaper where he won several Florida Press Association awards. Billy was also a columnist for the Tallahassee Democrat.

These Speakers events are part of a well-established and popular series by the Apalachicola Area Historical Society with speakers through May on Saturdays, mid-month, at 4pm. Local and tourist history enthusiasts have gathered for these informative talks for a number of years. Previous speakers have spoken about Apalachicola’s predominantly African American North Side, Territorial City St Joseph, Early Maps of the area, Niles Register Florida History, the ice delivery industry, Cemetery Preservation, Apalachicola Historic Squares and more.

Seating is limited so come early to get a spot. For more information, please call and leave a message at (850) 653-1700, email to AAHS.Raney@gmail.com, or online at www.apalachicolahistoricalsociety.org. The Raney House Museum is located at 128 Market Street at the corner of Avenue F in historic downtown Apalachicola and is open from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Tuesday through Saturday.  Funded in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council.