The Saltwater Underground Railroad is a little-known Black liberation network that predates Harriet Tubman and completely reframes how we understand freedom, Florida, and Black history. We break down how enslaved and free Black people escaped bondage by moving south through Florida and across open water to the Bahamas, aided by Black Seminoles and Indigenous communities who built autonomous settlements long before Florida became part of the United States.

We dig into why Florida is such a cultural outlier in the South, how Caribbean, African, and Indigenous histories shaped Black Floridian identity, and why these stories are rarely taught. The conversation challenges myths about Black people and water, connects past resistance to present-day movements like Black in Marine Science, and asks what liberation looks like when freedom is close enough to reach—if you’re willing to move.

Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction

2:10 What Is the Saltwater Underground Railroad?

6:40 The History of Slavery and Free Black Communities in Florida

11:00 Black Seminoles, Resistance, and War

18:00 Escaping by Sea: 6,000 People to the Bahamas

25:20 Is Florida Really The South?

35:50 Black in Marine Science

44:00 Youth's Access to Environmental Education

58:45 Collective Consciousness and What Comes Next

Don’t Water it Down (DWID) is a live and pre-recorded video podcast hosted by four black voices, primarily from New Orleans, decoding climate jargon, over curated cocktails. These unique hosts bring their distinct perspectives and experiences to the table, discussing complex and challenging topics in an authentic and transparent manner. They use storytelling and knowledge sharing to build connections, rooting each episode in New Orleans but grounding it in the local community, art, culture, and libations.

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Website: https://nolawater.org/

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Jessica @Queenofwata

Deniseea @chickenandchampagne

Ryan @mynameisphlegm

Nesby @Nesbyphips