The Woodson African American Museum of Florida, in partnership with the Smithsonian, commissioned renowned artist Najee Dorsey to create a 30-by-10-foot mural. (Photo courtesy of Black Art in America)

As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, the Woodson African American Museum of Florida will help anchor a national conversation on the nation’s diverse history.

The Smithsonian has selected the St. Petersburg-based Woodson Museum to present “Many Voices, One Nation: Our Community,” a signature exhibition in the institution’s nationwide America 250 commemoration that will incorporate the city’s rich Black history.

As one of only three organizations in Florida to receive the honor, the Woodson Museum marks a major milestone with the announcement. Executive director Terri Lipsey Scott commissioned acclaimed artist, curator, and Black Art in America (BAIA) founder Najee Dorsey to create the exhibition’s centerpiece, an ambitious 30-by-10-foot mural.

In a statement, Scott said the exhibition “invites visitors to see America’s story through the voices, experiences, and contributions of those who have too often been overlooked.” The opportunity will “ensure St. Petersburg’s history is recognized as an essential part of our nation’s story as we commemorate America 250.”

Dorsey’s mural will highlight the resilience and cultural contributions of people who occupied America before English settlers arrived, those who came seeking opportunities, those who were brought here by force, and those who continue to define the nation’s evolving identity. The exhibition, and the anniversary it commemorates, come as many stakeholders admonish federal and state leaders for intentionally erasing Black history.

Established by the U.S. government in 1846, the 180-year-old Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex. The organization dubbed its commemoration “Our Shared Future: 250.”

Dorsey’s expansive mural will encompass all four of the Smithsonian’s major themes for “Many Voices.” Those include:

• Unsettling History (1492-1776)

• Peopling an Expanding Nation (1776-1900)

• New Americans, Continuing Debates (1900-Today)

• Negotiating the Promise of America

​“Silence can no longer define these narratives,” Scott said.

Terri Lipsey Scott, executive director of the Woodson African American Museum of Florida, at a recent Juneteenth celebration. (Photo courtesy of the Woodson African American Museum of Florida)

Scott credited Dorsey’s “powerful visual storytelling” that “challenges audiences to reflect on the many voices that have shaped the American experience.” The local exhibition will debut at noon on Saturday, July 11, at the museum. 

Dorsey believes the nation’s 250th anniversary “offers a tremendous opportunity to remember the long history of resistance in America, and to shape the narratives of resistance today.” He said the mural will “honor those voices, invite reflection on our history, and inspire thought about our current circumstances.”

Florida Humanities, the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, the City of St. Petersburg, Duke Energy, Orlando Health, the Parallel Foundation, and Legendary Lens Multimedia helped fund the groundbreaking exhibition.

Dr. Kanika Tomalin, CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, said the organization is “very pleased and proud to support the Woodson’s partnership with the Smithsonian.” She called the museum a “preeminent keeper of our community’s culture” and an “important steward” of the city’s African American history.

“In keeping with the foundation’s commitment to an inclusive narrative that tells the story of all of St. Pete’s people, we welcome every opportunity to invest in and support our museum’s success,” Tomalin told Power Broker Magazine.

“This exhibit is nationally recognized, world-class, and will be one of the highlights of our city’s cultural landscape. It’s an exciting win for St. Pete.”

The exhibition, which also features an original piece by acclaimed St. Petersburg artist Dallas Jackson, coincides with the Woodson Museum’s 20th Anniversary celebration and grand reopening of its newly renovated facility at 2240 9th Ave. S.

A renovation project that will enhance the visitor experience at the Woodson African American Museum of Florida is nearly complete. (Photo courtesy of the Woodson African American Museum of Florida)

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