Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd invites Floridians to commemorate Black History Month by celebrating...
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TALLAHASSEE – Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd invites Floridians to commemorate Black History Month by celebrating the achievements of Black Floridians. The Florida Department of State will host a number of events during the month of February to commemorate the achievements of Black Floridians. This year’s signature event is the Black History Arts and Culture Festival held on Friday, February 10, 2023, from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m., hosted by the Florida Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Division of Historical Resources at The Grove Museum in Tallahassee.
“Black Floridians have made great achievements that have added to and bolstered the history, culture, and economy, of not only our state, but the nation,” said Secretary of State Cord Byrd. “From Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune to John G. Riley to the group of Black artists who would become known as The Florida Highwaymen, the indelible impact of the achievements of Black Floridians is a deep and rich component of our state and nation.”
To commemorate these achievements, the Florida Department of State is hosting a series of free events throughout the month of February. See list of events below. For more information visit DOS.MyFlorida.com/Initiatives/BlackHistoryMonth2023.
When: Friday, February 10, 2023, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Where: The Grove Museum
Join the Florida Division of Arts and Culture and the Division of Historical Resources at The Grove Museum to celebrate Black artists and their impact on Florida’s history and culture. The event will feature musical artists The Lee Boys, Lili Forbes, and Ayoka Afrikan Drum and Dance, as well as bronze sculptor, painter, and graphic artist, Kenneth Reshard. Florida native Food and arts vendors will be on site to round out this creative, immersive experience!
“Mae Among the Stars” by Roda Ahmed
When: Wednesday, February 8, 2023, 10:00 a.m.
Where: The Grove Museum, 902 N. Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida
Join The Grove Museum for a reading of “Mae Among the Stars” by Roda Ahmed, which explores the life of the First Black American woman to travel into space! This program is free, open to the public and is recommended for children ages 8 years and younger. Storytime will be followed by an activity, and we encourage families to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on the museum’s grounds following the program.
“Head, Hand, Heart,” The Remarkable Life of Mary McLeod Bethune
When: Saturday, February 11, 2023, 11:00 a.m.
Where: Northeast Branch Library, 5513 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee, FL 32312
Celebrate the life and work of Great Floridian Mary McLeod Bethune. She served as an educator, college president, activist, and founder of national organizations! Her life and legacy are honored with a new statue at the U.S. Capitol. Kids will assemble their own model of Bethune’s statue.
When: Monday, February 13, 2023, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Wakulla County Public Library, 4330 Crawfordville Hwy, Crawfordville, FL 32327
Senior Curator Michelle Hearn explores cultural changes as Floridians redefined what was meant by justice, race, and democracy, concepts which are key to our identity as a people. From Miami to Tallahassee and St. Petersburg to St. Augustine, the Florida movement is explored at the local, state, and national levels. The presentation discusses the struggle of Black Americans for equality in Florida from the end of Reconstruction (1877) through the modern civil rights movement.
Mary McLeod Bethune Documentary Screening, Reception and Talk – Division of Arts and Culture
“The Art of the Possible” - The Life and Legacy of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune: A Journey to National Statuary Hall
When: Thursday, February 16, 2023, 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Where: R.A. Gray Building, Heritage Hall and Gallery for Innovation and the Arts, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399
To commemorate Mary McLeod Bethune’s contributions to history and the road to National Statuary Hall, join the Division of Arts and Culture from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. at the R.A. Gray Building, Heritage Hall and Gallery for Innovation and the Arts to view a feature-length broadcast documentary on the life, work and legacy of Dr. Bethune and the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Statuary Project. The screening will be followed by a reception and scholarly talk.
Documenting the History of Emancipation Day Celebrations in Florida
When: Tuesday, February 28, 2023, 12:00 Noon
Where: R.A. Gray Building, Heritage Hall and Gallery for Innovation and the Arts, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399
Dr. Natalie King-Pedroso, Associate Professor of English at Florida A&M University, has collected oral histories from Black American communities to document the historical and ongoing commemoration of Emancipation Day. She will discuss her efforts and share some of the stories she has recorded.
When Wednesday, February 22, 2023, 6:30 p.m. Noon
Where: Wakulla County Public Library, 4330 Crawfordville Hwy, Crawfordville, FL, 32327
Senior Curator, Michelle Hearn, presents the story of the Florida Highwaymen, a group of Black artists who emerged from the then-rural agricultural communities of Fort Pierce, Gifford, and Vero Beach on the Atlantic Coast in the early 1950s. These artists began selling their creations to businesses, tourists, and new homeowners in the postwar boom years, when Florida’s population grew dramatically. In the process of making a living through painting, they made a significant contribution to the genre of Florida landscape painting, helped to form an idealized vision of the state, and crossed racial divides.
