Woodson African American Museum of Florida
Preserve | Present | Interpret
The museum presents the historic voice of this St. Petersburg, Florida community from the perspective of local, regional, and national history, culture, and community. It is another demonstration of the commitment to revitalize the Midtown St. Petersburg area.
The museum joins Mercy Hospital at the Johnnie Ruth Clarke Health Center, the Royal Theater Boys and Girls Club, and the renovated Manhattan Casino as evidence of the renaissance of this area.
News
The Woodson African American Museum of Florida Concludes Summer Freedom School with Civil Rights Pilgrimage
07/07/2024
The Museum Will Be Closed Tuesday, July 23 through Sunday, July 28
St. Petersburg, FL – July 16, 2024 – The Woodson African American Museum of Florida proudly announces the successful conclusion of their summer Freedom School. The program will culminate with 28 of the school’s top scholars embarking on a profound Civil Rights pilgrimage across the southern United States.
The Freedom School classes were led by The Woodson’s Education and Outreach Manager, Patrick Arthur Jackson, with a curriculum commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement. Scholars engaged in in-depth studies covering pivotal events such as the Children’s March of 1964, the Birmingham church bombing, Rosa Parks’ defiance and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the leadership of figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and John Lewis. They also studied the tragic lynching of Emmett Till and the events of Bloody Sunday.
The pilgrimage will take attendees from St. Petersburg to Atlanta, Birmingham, Selma, and Montgomery, tracing the footsteps of history before returning home. This journey is made possible through the collaboration between The Woodson African American Museum, the SPPF‘s High School M.A.S.T.R. Plan Program summer campers, and the AKA AKAdemy Exquisite Gems and Pathfinders, offering a remarkable educational experience of the Civil Rights Movement in the South.
Bridgette Heller of the Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation (SPPF) expressed “immense pride in the opportunity this curated experience has provided for the youth in their program.” Manitia Moultrie of the AKAdemy shared her excitement, stating, “This is an opportunity of a lifetime for our youth to be afforded this extraordinary experience.”
Terri Lipsey Scott, Executive Director of The Woodson, along with the museum’s dedicated staff, will accompany the scholars on this Legacy Pilgrimage, allowing them to witness firsthand the locations where history was made. Lipsey Scott stated, “Nothing can be more important than meeting the goals and mission of The Woodson when preserving, presenting, celebrating, and educating others regarding African American History.”
The program has been funded by the United States Department of Education and The St. Petersburg Police Department.
Current Exhibit
Give Us the Sun: A Solo Exhibition of Artwork by Traci Mims
When
June through August
Where
The Woodson African American Museum of Florida
Admission
Free
What
Give Us the Sun, is a solo exhibition of artwork by artist Traci Mims. On view starting June 8, the exhibition features drawings, prints, paintings, and quilt work by the Atlanta-based artist.
A native of St. Petersburg, Mims returns to the city with Give Us the Sun having earned her BA from Florida A&M University, her MFA from Tyler School of Art, Temple University, and numerous awards, fellowships, and exhibitions.
Mims is a multidisciplinary artist whose work often spotlights the narratives, lives, faces, and figures of the individuals in her community as well as epic individuals and stories. “I consider myself a social realist,” she says, “because I focus on the lives of everyday Black people, the things they experience, and how they react to it emotionally.”
Her meticulous print work and monumental drawings center social justice and illuminate histories that are increasingly under threat of erasure. Mims combines the everyday and monumental, both in subject matter and style, making each piece its own poignant expression.
Black History Matter Mural
When
Currently on Display
Where
Woodson African American Museum of Florida
Admission
Open to the Public
What
Previously a BLACK LIVES MATTER mural, this updated mural expresses the importance of protecting Black History in the United States.
The Artists that contributed to the creation of this mural include Daniel “R5” Barojas, Miss Crit (Laura Spencer), Esh (Eric Hornsby), Cyrus Fire, Raheem Fitzgerald, John Gascot,
James E Hartzell, Vera Herrera, Plum Howlet, Jade Jackson, Reid Jenkins, Jujmo (Cheryl Weber), James Kitchens, Cam Parker, Reda3sb, Vitale Bros, Javon Walters, David Watson
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
Upcoming Events
Saturday Morning Yoga at The Woodson
When
Every Saturday Morning at 9 AM
Where
Woodson African American Museum of Florida
Admission
Free
What
Enjoy a calming yoga session led by Mindful Movement in The Woodson’s Legacy Garden every Saturday morning.
Registration is not required for these free yoga classes.