INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FR O M THE K I N G O F S PA I N T O GOV E RNOR OF F LORIDA , P ROF ESSO R LA UD ED FO R W O R K T R A C I N G F LORIDA’S E A RLIE S T HIS T ORY Carrie O’Brion
In a room decorated with 18th century tapestries and oil portraits of long-deceased monarchs, a group of dignitaries, friends, and family members gathered to watch as the Spanish ambassador to the United States pinned a red-enameled cross with a golden frame to the lapel of USF History professor J. Michael Francis. With that gesture, Ambassador Santiago Cabanas inducted Francis into the Order of Isabella the Catholic, one of Spain’s oldest and most prestigious civil orders, whose membership includes world-renowned artists, poets, scholars and diplomats. As he addressed the small crowd at the reception held for him at Cabanas’ private residence in Washington, D.C., Francis, the Hough Family Endowed Chair of Florida Studies at USF’s St. Petersburg campus, was momentarily overcome with emotion.
“Historians are never speechless,” Francis said. “And I’m speechless. I am beyond humbled by this honor.” While Francis has been recognized many times for his work tracing the early Spanish roots of Florida history, 2021 was a notable year for him and the colleagues who have collaborated with him on his research. In addition to being named to the order of Isabella the Catholic, Francis was also appointed to the Florida Historical Commission by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Francis will serve a two-year term on the Commission. He will review grant applications, vote on proposed nominations to the National Register of Historic Places and advise the Florida Division of Historical Resources concerning policy and preservation needs. “Professor Francis has done remarkable work to shine a spotlight on Florida’s early Spanish history. We are all very pleased to see him honored,” said Martin Tadlock, regional chancellor of USF’s St. Petersburg campus.
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“This recognition is important to everyone on this campus as well as in the state of Florida. It demonstrates our commitment to supporting our faculty and their world-class research, and it also reflects the value of that research to the citizens of this state.” The recognition from Spain was particularly meaningful, Francis said. Through the years, he has followed the work of other historians who have been inducted into the order but never dreamed he would join their ranks. “This is certainly the most prestigious honor I’ve received in my career,” he said. “It is an individual honor but one that would not have happened had I not had a lot of other shoulders to stand on.” But due to the remote working situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s an honor that Francis initially missed. After working from home for several months, Francis visited campus to retrieve mail from
