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<\/p>\nST. PETERSBURG, Fla. \u2014 Sunday’s service at Historic Bethel AME Church in St. Petersburg celebrated the 100th anniversary of Black History Month.<\/p>\n
The church, which is the oldest African American church in St. Petersburg, partnered with the COACH Foundation of Tampa to commemorate the occasion.<\/p>\n
The service honored the centennial of Negro History Week, which was established by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in February 1926 and later evolved into Black History Month.<\/p>\n
Organizers said the program was intended to reflect on a century of Black history rooted in faith, resilience and collective action, while also offering a call forward for continued civic engagement and moral leadership.<\/p>\n
\u201cBlack History Month was born in the Black church\u2014as an act of truth-telling and self-determination,\u201d said Rev. Willie Dixon, the founder of the COACH Foundation. \u201cThis gathering honors that sacred legacy while challenging us to carry the work forward with clarity, courage, and conviction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Churchgoers heard a guest message from DeMark Liggins, the national president and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which is the civil rights organization founded by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.<\/p>\n
Founded more than a century ago, Historic Bethel AME Church has served as a spiritual and cultural cornerstone for Black life in St. Petersburg, bearing witness to generations of struggle, progress, and community leadership, organizers said in a release.<\/p>\n
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