As St. Petersburg observes Pride Month in June, the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum will play host to two events June 10 and June 11, 2240 Ninth Ave. S. in St. Petersburg.
On Thursday, June 10, Equality Florida and St. Petersburg Council Member Steve Kornell, this year’s St. Pete Pride Grand Marshal, invite the community to a dialogue on “Homophobia and Racism.” The discussion will begin at 7:00 p.m. and will be moderated by Dr. Goliath J. Davis, III. A distinguished panel to include St. Petersburg Times columnist Bill Maxwell, Equality Florida’s Nadine Smith, Emma Makdessi and Carl Warren will lead the community dialogue. An informal reception will precede the discussion in the museum’s Legacy Garden, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Rainbow Sponsors include Larry Biddle, Rick Boylan, Steven Brandt, Ron Gofrank, James Jackson and David Warner, along with a host committee of 30 community leaders.
On Friday, June 11, from 7 to 11 p.m., the museum will host a reception and exhibit opening for a nationally touring exhibit, “Harlem Renaissance: As Gay as it was Black.” The exhibit, organized by the Stonewall Library and Archives, is a tribute to the songs, literature and art that demonstrate the gay influence in helping to fuel the Harlem Renaissance over the two decades between World Wars I and II. The exhibit’s opening will be followed by a soiree in the Museum’s beautiful Legacy Gardens with food, drinks and dancing, $25. The event is sponsored by St. Pete Pride, Equality Florida, the ACLU and Georgie’s Alibi.
