Friday, May 1, 2026, Noon – 1 p.m.
Lue Gim Gong was an accomplished horticulturist whose work contributed to the growth of the citrus industry in Florida. Born in China in 1857, he emigrated to the United States in the late 19th century and eventually settled in DeLand. He is best known for developing a cold-resistant orange variety along with several other valuable plants. Seventy-five years after his death in 1925, the Florida Department of State honored him as a “Great Floridian.”
In this Lunch & Learn, Lue Gim Gong expert Prof. Wenxian Zhang of Rollins College will explore the fascinating story of the man known as the “Wizard of Citrus” and the “Chinese Burbank of Florida.” Although his fame did not bring him fortune, Lue Gim Gong lived a remarkable life, sometimes in the face of hardship, ignorance, and injustice. His legacy continues to inspire new generations in our multicultural society of the 21st century.
About Our Speaker
Prof. Wenxian Zhang has been a member of the Rollins College faculty since 1995. He is a recipient of the Cornell Distinguished Faculty Service Award and the Arthur Vining Davis Fellowship at Rollins, the Dorothy Dodd Outstanding Archivist Award from the Florida Historical Society, and the Award of Excellence from the Society of Florida Archivists. A productive scholar, Zhang published China Through American Eyes: Early Depictions of the Chinese People in 2018 and Culture in the U.S. Print Media, which received the Jing Liao Award for Best Research from the Chinese American Librarians Association in 2019.
Participate online or in person. Closed caption available online.
History Center Members: Free
General Public: $5
History Center Members with lunch: $12
General Public with lunch: $17
Lunch must be ordered by 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 30.
Please call 407-836-8580 with questions.
