September 2022: Lori Lee

The Archaeology of Colonialism at Fort Mose: Forging Freedom Through Practice

Lori Lee, PhD, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Flagler College

Fort Mose was the first legally sanctioned free black community in North America. The Spanish governor of Florida guaranteed the legal freedom of self-emancipated Africans and African Americans if they converted to Catholicism, built and occupied a fort on the frontier of St. Augustine, and fought against Spanish enemies.

These soldiers created a multicultural community of African, African American, and indigenous families. This paper analyzes archaeological evidence and historical documents to investigate the daily practices people used to enact their freedoms in a location and time where those freedoms were contested.


Dr. Lori Lee is Kenan Distinguished Associate Professor of Anthropology at Flagler College. Her research examines the materiality of migration, health practices, and identity among African Diaspora populations.


This monthly CGCAS Archaeology Lecture series is sponsored by the Alliance for Weedon Island Archaeological Research and Education (AWIARE).

Bookmark the permalink.