About the Florida Photographic Collection

The Florida Photographic Collection is an internationally recognized component of the State Archives of Florida and contains over one million images and over 6,000 movies and video tapes. Over 206,000 of the photographs have been scanned and placed on this website.

The collection spans a wide range of visual images from copies of mid-15th century maps to current photographs. Most of the holdings in the collection have been obtained singly or in small groups. Together, they form the most complete portrait of Florida available--one that draws its strength from family pictures, the homes of Floridians, their work and their pastimes.

Allen Covington Morris, distinguished historian, journalist and author of numerous books on Florida history and state government, officially established the Florida Photographic Collection in 1952. But its origins go back to when Morris began compiling photographs of Florida for his bi-annually published book, The Florida Handbook, during the late 1940s.

Morris soon discovered that historical images of Florida were difficult to acquire. He realized that while a few organizations collected photographs of specific areas or persons, no one was preserving historical images for the state as a whole. With the assistance of Dr. Doak Campbell, then president of Florida State University, the Florida Photographic Archives was begun in 1952 at F.S.U. Morris used his newspaper and political connections to gather photographs of Florida's people and places. The collection, housed first in Dodd Hall and later in the R.M. Strozier Library, grew rapidly.

His wife Joan Morris became the photographic archivist and curator of the collection in 1970 when demands elsewhere prohibited Morris from continuing in that position. In 1982, the collection was transferred to the State Archives of Florida in the R.A. Gray Building, where today it continues to expand in size and scope.

Allen Morris became the Clerk of the House of Representatives for the State of Florida in 1966. One of Morris' former colleagues, journalist Jim Minter, observed that Morris was "the Grandfather of the Florida House and Senate," a spiritual guide who trained several generations of Florida's public officials in the high ethics of practical politics. He remained as House Clerk until his retirement in 1986, but continued on as Clerk emeritus until 1996.

Allen Morris passed away in 2002. Joan Morris remained the collection's curator until her retirement in 2004. She passed away in 2016.

Joan and Allen Morris, 1972

Joan and Allen Morris, 1980s

Department of Commerce presenting films to Florida Photographic Archives, 1964

Joan and Allen Morris in revolutionary costume for one of their Christmas cards, 1976

High resolution scans or prints of any photograph in the collection are available for purchase. Click here to access the current fee schedule for obtaining reproductions. We hope you enjoy browsing the images--and please, remember that this collection was built on donations. If you have Florida-related images that you are interested in donating or loaning for reproduction, please contact the staff at [email protected]. The State Archives of Florida appreciates your interest in the Florida Memory Program.