The Key West Art & Historical Society will present the next installment of its lecture series, Happy Hour with the Historian, on Thursday, Aug. 13 from 5 to 6 p.m. at Comedy Key West, 218 Whitehead St.
Historian Cori Convertito will present “Remember the Maine: Explosion, Mystery and the Road to War” in a presentation that explores the history of the USS Maine and its significant ties to Key West during a pivotal moment in American history. In 1898, the powerful U.S. battleship was a familiar presence in Key West, patrolling regional waters amid rising tensions in the Caribbean. When the Maine sailed to Havana Harbor in January as a show of American strength and protection, few could have imagined the tragedy that would soon unfold.
Just three weeks later, on the night of Feb. 15, a catastrophic explosion ripped through the vessel, claiming the lives of more than 260 sailors and sending shockwaves across the nation. The sinking of the Maine became one of the most controversial events in U.S. history, fueling public outrage and helping propel the nation into the Spanish-American War.
Convertito will discuss the Maine’s connections to Key West, the competing theories surrounding the ship’s destruction and how a single mysterious event reshaped American foreign policy and marked the nation’s emergence as a global power.
“Few events have had such an immediate and lasting impact on the course of American history as the explosion of the Maine,” said Convertito, curator and historian for the historical society. “Its story is one of mystery, politics, media influence and international conflict. By examining the evidence and placing the event in its historical context, we gain a deeper understanding of how one tragedy helped change the trajectory of the United States.”
Doors open at 4:30 p.m., with the lecture beginning promptly at 5 p.m. Tickets are available in advance at kwahs.org/whats-on. Admission is $13 for society members and $17 for non-members; each ticket includes a complimentary beverage. Seating is limited.
