Explore Gainesville History Through Stories and Archives

Explore a powerful new exhibition during the opening reception for Chains of Steele: Money, Power, and Influence. Meet the curator, tour the exhibition and learn about Augustus and Augusta Steele, members of Gainesville's Matheson family whose lives were deeply connected to the institution of American slavery. Light refreshments will be served. Through rare family photographs, personal papers and newly researched biographies of the people the Steeles enslaved, the exhibition examines the lasting influence of slavery on Gainesville's history and the community today. Admission is free. Sponsored in part by Visit Gainesville, Alachua County.