Jacqueline Hubbard, right, who heads the St. Petersburg Association for the Study of African American Life and History, talks about the Supreme Court’s 1857 Dred Scott Decision. Hubbard and Sabrina McCoy, left, organizes Black history lessons for the community. Caption: Daysha Moore, a freshman at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus, attended the teach-in. Moore said she wishes she had learned more about Black history in high school. BY NANCY GUAN | WUSF ST. PETERSBURG — Daysha Moore walked into the St. Augustine Episcopal Church on Thursday night with a question in mind ..read more

The Tampa Bay Times and the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg hosted a community discussion on the history and the continuing impact of Brown v. Board of Education on April 25 at the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg. Pictured above are moderator Tammy Briant Spratling, Fred Hearns, Chloe J. Coney and Dr. Raymond Arsenault. BY FRANK DROUZAS | Staff Writer ST. PETERSBURG — One of the most pivotal court cases ever decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, Brown v. Board of Education, in 1954 began the long battle toward school integration nationwide. In commemoration of its 70th annive ..read more

On April 20, the St. Petersburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority welcomed 50 new members into its esteemed sisterhood. Pictured above are Dr. Shameka Jones, Mayor Ken Welch, and Gloria Flakes. Photos courtesy of Gary Shorter. ST. PETERSBURG — The St. Petersburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. celebrated a significant milestone as it welcomed 50 new members into its esteemed sisterhood. This event marked one of the largest new initiate lines of a D-9 Greek organization in the St. Pete area and highlighted the chapter’s commitment to mentoring and empowering new ..read more

The Gathering of Women, Inc. held the 2024 Men and Women of Distinction Awards Ceremony on Sunday, April 21, at the St. Petersburg Country Club. BY RAVEN JOY SHONEL | Staff Writer ST. PETERSBURG — The Gathering of Women, Inc. 2024 Men and Women of Distinction Awards Ceremony kicked off a fantastic afternoon on Sunday, April 21. The St. Petersburg Country Club, located at 2000 Country Club Way S, was filled with family and friends who came out to support the achievements of this year’s honorees. The Gathering of Women, under the leadership of President Samantha Richardson, is a beacon of commun ..read more

‘We have a choice in November; the outcome will be the difference between continued freedom and bondage,’ said Dr. Goliath J. Davis.  BY GOLIATH J. DAVIS, III, Ph.D. | Opinion For far too long, politicians, elected officials and some members of the clergy have assumed people of color can be seduced, fooled and bamboozled by flash, glamor and slick talk. Many think they can convince us to vote or act against our interest by simply delivering a moving sermon, emotional speech or some other gimmick. Recently, a candidate for president of the United States, Donald J. Trump, proudly proclaimed ..read more

In April, Legacy-56, Inc. held its fifth annual Sankofa Symposium to a multigenerational audience of nearly 100 people. ST. PETERSBURG — On April 6, Legacy-56, Inc. presented its fifth annual Sankofa Symposium entitled, “Equity in Education: The conversation continues…” Legacy-56, Inc. believes that the threat to equity in education was directly attacked when the Florida Legislature passed the 2022 Stop WOKE Act. The act prohibits content in the classroom that would allow teaching the truth about racism in America. Further, the act makes it unlawful for employers to offer mandatory employee tr ..read more

The Clearwater Urban Leadership Coalition (CULC) hosted the SAVE Institute during a day-long presentation of health and wellness workshops on March 9 for youths 12-18. BY J.A. JONES | Staff Writer CLEARWATER — In March, the Clearwater Urban Leadership Coalition (CULC) hosted the SAVE Institute during a day-long presentation of health and wellness workshops for the community held at the Pinellas County African American History Museum. The SAVE Institute’s “Florida Young Men’s Leadership Initiative: Empower Summit” was aimed at youth ages 12-18. Atiba Jones, founder and executive director of the ..read more

Ghanaian-American writer Jocelyn Bioh’s ‘Nollywood Dreams’ offers a light comedy with just enough messy romance to keep it lively is onstage at freeFall Theatre, 6099 Central Ave. through May 12. BY J.A. JONES | Staff Writer ST. PETERSBURG — Ghanaian-American writer Jocelyn Bioh’s “Nollywood Dreams,” which is playing through May 12 at freeFall Theatre, 6099 Central Ave., offers a light comedy with just enough messy romance to keep it lively, using the backdrop of “Nollywood” (Nigeria + Hollywood). Bioh inserts enough cultural insight into a more modern Nigeria to make it feel authentic without ..read more

On Friday, April 26, Innovare Apartments held a grand opening ceremony in the Innovation District of St. Petersburg. 50 affordable apartments provide healing, stability  ST. PETERSBURG — For Walter Sloan, an injury at work led to a series of losses: his job, his home, and, for a time, his future. As the first new resident at downtown St. Petersburg’s Innovare Apartments, having a stable home he can afford has opened the door to hope. “I went from having a normal life, working, doing my thing, on a Tuesday to a Wednesday. I had an event happen that literally turned my world upside down, an ..read more

Sisters Dr. Kim Hickman and Attorney Tobi Blake-West shared their personal experience with Suncoast Hospice and how it helped their family navigate their mother’s end-of-life journey. BY KAREN DAVIS-PRITCHETT, M.Ed. | Empath Health Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion For more than three years, I have been privileged to inform readers about the care and services Empath Health and its affiliate organizations provide to the community. I thought it might be meaningful for the next few articles to let those who have benefited from those services share their stories. Today, I’d like to ..read more