History

Men in the Making, a youth-focused nonprofit, during a tour of historic Lincoln Cemetery. Commissioner Renee Flowers believes state-funded upgrades will help attract additional visitors. Photo: Renee Flowers. During segregation, St. Petersburg relocated the remains of Black pioneers to neighboring Gulfport. Lincoln Cemetery has since deteriorated due to decades of deferred maintenance and severe storms. ​However, the century-old cemetery will soon see some much-needed upgrad

Beginning as a civic organization in 1982, the Improvement League of Plant City, CDC was founded by the late Jerry Bailey to address the needs of the Lincoln and Madison Park communities. Screengrab: Plant City Observer. The Improvement League of Plant City, CDC will host its 2nd Annual Summer Solstice Soiree on Saturday, June 27, 2026, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the Norman McLeod American Legion Post 26 in Plant City. The annual fundraiser will take on a Derby-inspired theme t

From left: Sarah Joubert, Anddrikk Frazier, Amber Brinkley, and Will Conroy of Foundation Vision Partners fielded questions regarding their plan for the Historic Gas Plant District from St. Petersburg stakeholders on Thursday. Photos by Mark Parker. After decades of unfulfilled promises and three failed all-or-nothing deals, a development team continues highlighting the benefits of a community-led blueprint to reimagine the culturally significant Historic Gas Plant District.

Pictured: (l-r) Bishop Dr. Clarice H. Pennington, Thomas “Jet” Jackson, and Lois Grayson. All images courtesy of the Woodson Museum. In a city rich with history, yet too often absent from the written record, the Woodson African American Museum of Florida ensures that the stories of those who lived it are not lost to time, but lifted, preserved, and passed on. Launched in August 2025, “At the Feet of the Elders” was not only an oral history series; it was a sacred gathering o

From left: Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Carlton Mallard, and City Councilmember Naya Young. Mallard was nearly forced to abandon his childhood home, which had fallen into a state of disrepair. Photos: City of Tampa. The walls of Carlton Mallard’s home in East Tampa have held his family’s history for over 70 years. However, the creeping decay of time had finally caught up to the only sanctuary he’s ever known. ​Mallard, who couldn’t afford extensive repairs, went without air cond

Chief Barbara Tripp, Tampa’s first female fire chief, is being recognized as the Public Service Honoree at the 2nd Annual Juneteenth Beacon of Change Celebration. Image retrieved from Tampa Fire Rescue Chief Facebook Page. Chief Barbara Tripp will be recognized as the Public Service Honoree at the 2nd Annual Juneteenth Beacon of Change Celebration, honoring a career grounded in public safety, community service and historic leadership in Tampa Bay. Hosted by the USF Black Alum

Hillsborough County, Florida, native Henry Lee Parker, Jr. became the first student to complete a degree through Bethune-Cookman’s new fully online program, ‘B-CU Global.’ Lee Parker, Jr. is the official first graduate of ‘B-CU Global,’ the university's new program designed to expand degree-completion opportunities for working adults, military service members, veterans, and re-admits. His successful matriculation through their program marks a key milestone for the institution

Pictured: Florida A&M University “Marching 100,” blossomed under the wings of Dr. Julian White, band director from 1998-2012. Image: Screengrab. This summer, Mt. Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church and Mt. Zion Human Services bring “Summer Band Camp 2026” to St. Pete youth from June 8–12, an experience senior pastor, Rev. Louis M. Murphy, Sr., calls “a turning point.” “This camp is personal for me. The HBCU band experience shaped who I am — as a leader and as a man,” s

On Monday, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor (second from left) and St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch (second from right) simultaneously threw out ceremonial first pitches at Tropicana Field, which hasn’t hosted a game since September 2024. All photos by Mark Parker. ​When asked who had the better ceremonial first pitch before Monday’s historic home opener at […]

St. Petersburg plans to complete $361.25 million worth projects downtown before sunsetting the Intown Community Redevelopment Area, established in 1982 to reduce blight. Photo by Mark Parker. St. Petersburg prolonged a community redevelopment area’s lifespan to support a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium and the Historic Gas Plant District’s rebirth. Officials are now reallocating those […]

New leadership appointments were announced this week for Dr. René Flowers, Dr. Jeffery Johnson, and Roy James, Jr. by (respectively) the David Jolly gubernatorial campaign, the City of Tampa and the City of St. Petersburg. Commissioner René Flowers to Co-Lead Community Development for Jolly Campaign Pinellas County Commissioner René Flowers at an October 2025 groundbreakingceremony […]