Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum

A benefactor with a huge collection of Black history artifacts has promised to make more than 8,000 pieces available for viewing over the next several years at St. Petersburg’s Woodson African American Museum of Florida.

Clinton Byrd, a financial investor who lives in Tallahassee, started a sideline as a historian in 2012 after he obtained a collection amassed by Nathaniel “The Magnificent” Montague, a Black radio pioneer. Montague, now 94, dreamed of opening an African American history museum of his own in Los Angeles. He spent nearly 50 years collecting artifacts such as letters from Booker T. Washington and Frederick Douglass, recordings of opera singer Marian Anderson and books by the museum’s namesake, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, considered the father of Black history.

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What

Dr. Gary L. Lemons is a professor of African American literature and Biblical studies at the University of South Florida, Tampa campus. He has a B.S.E. degree in Studio Art, M.A. and Ph.D. in English, and an Advanced Certificate in Museum Studies from New York University. Over the years, he has been awarded three postdoctoral fellowships—two from the National Endowment for the Humanities and one from the Rockefeller Foundation. He is also an ordained minister. His book publications include—Black Male Outsider, a Memoir: Teaching as a Pro-Feminist Man (2008); Womanist Forefathers, Frederick Douglass and W.E.B. Du Bois (2009); Feminist Solidarity at the Crossroads: Intersectional Women’s Studies for Transracial Alliance (2012); Caught Up in the Spirit! Teaching for Womanist Liberation (2017); Hooked on the Art of Love: bell hooks and My Calling for Soul Work (2018); Let Love Lead on a Course to Freedom (2019); Building Womanist Coalitions: Writing and Teaching in the Spirit of Love (2019); Liberation for the Oppressed: Community Healing through Activist Transformation, A Call to CHAT (2022); The Power and Freedom of Black Feminist and Womanist Pedagogy: Still Woke (2022).

“I am a Black abstract painter. Conceptually, my paintings are rooted in Africentric colors and patterns. I believe art should inspire all people to connect to the liberating power of communal love. Touch in the Spirit of Love is a series of paintings that graphically illustrate the value of love for all humanity. In an imaginary, spiritually enriched context—this series calls all people together to see each other reaching out to one another through the touching of their hands. The hands in my paintings connect people together to express hope for the life-saving power of love committed to community-building. As envisioned by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., hope for a “beloved community” can be realized when people actively join together to show love for social justice. Overall, the paintings in this series visually challenge people to see the need for loving wholeness in mind, body, heart, and soul. Hands of different colors touching each other in this painting series artistically demonstrate the power of love rooted in freedom for all people who have been historically oppressed.”

What

This community’s first BLACK LIVES MATTER mural is the most beautiful one in the nation, and it is the welcoming mat to our most historic African American community Jordan Park, and the beautiful Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum. 

T-shirts & Mural Prints

PURCHASE A T-SHIRT OR MURAL PRINT HERE

T-shirts and Black Lives Matter Mural prints are available for purchase.

Items are available for pick-up Tuesday – Friday, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

What

Classic Black will be tributing black excellence in classical music. Join us for Classic Black, a concert that honor black excellence in classical music. The concert will consist of All African American Classical performers, that have recognition in our community, country, and globally.

This concert will feature performances by:

Jeremiah Abiah 

Nia Drummond 

Taylor Honor

John Lamb  

Gregory Sheppard 

Maiya Stevenson 

Carlos Walker 

Yohance Wicks

Latoya McCormick

Presented by The Woodson African American Museum of Florida, in partnership with St. Petersburg Opera Company and St. Petersburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

What

In the honor of the Black History Month, The Woodson’s flag will be raised at City Hall.

What

This meeting of “Can We Talk?” will be starting the discussion of our new book, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee. This book comes in physical, digital, and audio format.

If you need help getting the book, please contact woodsonmuseum@gmail.com

What

The Legends Ball is a celebration of success, commitment and excellence in accordance with our mission to preserve, present, interpret, celebrate and commemorate African American History and the culture.

The Woodson African American Museum of Florida’s 2023 Legends Ball, will honor the lives and legacies of individuals who have made extraordinary strides in our community and beyond, as consummate leaders, and contributors to Black History.

2023 Honorees

• The Honorable Darryl Rouson (State Senator)
• The Honorable Kenneth T. Welch (Mayor)
• Mr. Anthony Holloway (St. Petersburg Police Chief)
• Dr. Frederic J. Guerrier (Local and international physician and Humanitarian)
• Reverend Watson L. Haynes II  President and CEO Pinellas County  Urban League (Posthumously)
• (Ray Arsenault Lifetime Achievement Awardee)
• Jon Wilson, Journalist and Author

Sponsorship & Table Options

$25,000 Title Sponsor – SOLD

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$15,000 Program Sponsor – SOLD

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$10,000 Signature Sponsor – SOLD

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$5,000 Patron Sponsor

• Patron Sponsor level recognition on social media
• Half page program advertisement in The Legends Awards Program
• Patron Sponsor level recognition in Tampa Bay Times
• Patron Sponsor level recognition in event signage
• One table of 8
• Corporate table signage

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$3,000 Table Sponsor

• One table of 8
• Corporate table signage and Corporate Table Sponsor level recognition

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$1,000 Table of 8

• One table of 8

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$250 Congratulatory Remarks

• Congratulatory remarks in program presentation.

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$125 Individual Ticket

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I cannot attend, but I wish to contribute to the Legends Ball:

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The Woodson African American Museum of Florida is grateful for the generosity and support of Legends Awards Gala.

What

Join the St Petersburg Branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) and very special guest filmmaker Valerie Scoon for an evening of enlightenment. Valerie Scoon is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker who is currently a professor on staff at the University of Florida. She has worked with such powerhouses as HARPO Studios and Warner Brothers. Ms. Scoon will screen her prize work INVISIBLE HISTORY: MIDDLE FLORIDA’S HIDDEN ROOTS which explores the little-known history of plantations and enslavement in Florida. A Q&A session follows the film.

For more information, go on: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/asalh-celebration-and-dinner-tickets-464738163357