The Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum announces campaign to build a new facility The Woodson African American Museum of Florida.
Black History Month in St. Petersburg began on an unseasonably warm Tuesday morning, with two ceremonies on the steps and sidewalks outside City Hall.
Flanked by donors, sponsors, supporters and members of the City Council, Terri Lipsey Scott, director of the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum, announced a capital campaign, “Invest in Black History.”
It will require $27 million, said Scott, to build the proposed state-of-the-art facility on five acres of city-donated land in the Deuces area. And although significant progress has been made, including a $1 million donation from the City of St. Petersburg, and another $1 million from the Milkey Family Foundation, there is much to be done.
“Some of the country’s most southern states have created significant edifices to preserve, present and showcase the history, art and culture of African Americans,” she said. “Florida remains a state absent the investment of a purpose-built African American Museum.”
About The Woodson African American Museum of Florida:
Since its opening in 2006, The Woodson African American Museum of Florida has maximized its modest 4,000-square-foot space, providing some of the most robust African American programmings in the southeastern United States. Before the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture opened, The Woodson was named one of 17 “must-see” museums in the nation. Today, the museum serves as a bridge and gateway for courageous, constructive, and meaningful discussions regarding history, culture, race, equity, and empowerment — bringing individuals together from all walks of life. The new and expanded location for The Woodson will serve as an anchor for the revitalization of St. Petersburg’s 22nd Street, the area dubbed “The Deuces,” the heart of a vibrant and prosperous African American community during the time of segregation, where Black businesses, homes, and entertainment thrived.
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