Photo courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg.
By Alisha Durosier
When I say Black history,” Woodson African American Museum of Florida office manager Vanessa Sweat prompted the bundled-up crowd gathered around St. Petersburg’s City Hall on a chilly Thursday morning. “You say American history.”
“Black history.”
“American history,” the crowd responded in unison.
Feb. 5 was St. Petersburg’s 10th annual raising of the Dr. Carter G. Woodson Flag in commemoration of Black History Month.
Woodson, whom St. Petersburg’s African American museum is named, is regarded as the father of Black history.
It was in 2016 when the Woodson Museum’s executive director, Terri Lipsey Scott, who was then the chair of the museum’s board, appealed to the city’s current administration to raise a flag honoring Woodson.
“As our country looks ahead to commemorating 250 years of independence, many still struggle to tell the full truth. The reality is that this nation’s success was built not only on ideals of freedom but on the hard work, brilliance, resilience and extraordinary ingenuity of African people,” Sweat said.
The event was a celebration of important milestones.
It coincided with the 100th year of Black History Month and introduced the city’s residents to St. Petersburg’s fourth poet laureate, University of South Florida St. Petersburg alum Denzel Johnson Greene.
“Black history is critical to St. Pete’s history,” St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch said. “And in this city, we still value truth, facts and the accurate information that help us to lead equitable change in our city.”
St. Petersburg residents, Nikki Capehart, Adrienne Reddick and Tammie Roberson told The Crow’s Nest that the flag raising was an event they could not miss.
“With the organizations that we’re all affiliated with being community-based, not being here is doing the community a disservice,” Reddick said.
Capehart, who is the president and CEO of the Pinellas County Urban League, said that Scott’s 2016 appeal to raise the flag was a charge the city met with ease.
“Because it was something that should’ve been done a long time ago,” Capehart said. “We definitely wanted to make sure that we kept this going. This is something that has to be sustained for many, many years.”
Reddick echoed Capehart’s sentiment, emphasizing that there are “blatant and active attempts to erase our history and to rewrite a narrative that’s not true.”
“Black history is American history,” Roberson said. “You can’t have American history without it… and just because this current administration doesn’t understand all the contributions we have made, it doesn’t make them any less important or relevant or factual.”
Photo courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg
Tampa Bay-based artist Clancy Riehm created the city’s 2026 commemorative poster for Black History Month.
Photo courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg
Photo courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg
Deneen Wyman opened the ceremony with a cover of “Stand Up” by Cynthia Erivo from the 2019 movie “Harriet.”
Photo courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg
Photo courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg
University of South Florida St. Petersburg alum Denzel Johnson Greene made his first official appearance as the City of St. Petersburg’s fourth poet laureate.
Photo courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg
Photo courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg
Photo courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg
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Written by: Alisha Durosier on February 9, 2026.