STANDING ROOM ONLY CROWD FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROCLAMATION

PANAMA CITY, FL - A standing room-only crowd eagerly gathered at the Rotunda of City Hall, on February 1st, for the opening of the Black History Month Celebration and reading of the Proclamation. The opening of the month-long event, whose theme is “African Americans in the Arts,” was well attended with many delightful presentations. This annual event was hosted by the Bay County Branch of the NAACP. There are historical items and more recent displays of art containing fascinating details about some of the firsts in Black History. Everyone is encouraged to view the display during normal hours at City Hall. As Morgan Freeman, reminds us, Black History is American History.

PRESENTATIONS

During the presentation, Miss Avery Cruel served as Mistress of the Order. Mrs. Britney Reynolds-Foster sang a rousing National Anthem. Rev. Lula Williams, Co-pastor of Mt. Calvary M. B. Church gave the Invocation, full of thanks and praise to the Lord for how far we have come.

Miss Jordan Harper, Bay County NAACP Youth Council President, extended a warm and cordial welcome to everyone and thanked them for coming.

Next, the Honorable Janice Lucas, Panama City Commissioner, Ward 2, eloquently read the Proclamation, the text of which is included below, officially recognizing February as Black History Month, and proudly presented the document to the Rev. Dr. Rufus L. Wood, Jr., President of the Bay County Chapter of NAACP.

A recording, put together by Earnest Todd, was played, which showcased many rhythm and blues favorites including, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”, “You Send Me”, “Try Me”, “Chain of Fools”, “Let Your Back Bone Slip”, “People Get Ready”, among others.

An essay was read, encouraging everyone to write their own narrative as we are each proud and unique. Ms. Dawna Philyaw acknowledged children for their creative artwork, followed by Ms. Ashayla Smiley’s graceful Liturgical Dance.

Rev. Dr. Rufus L. Wood, Jr., President, Bay County Branch NAACP, closed the event, thanking everyone for sharing their gifts and encouraging the audience to join the fight to keep Oscar Patterson Academy open, followed by a moving Benediction by Dr. John L. Haley, Jr, Pastor, New Covenant (COGIC). Light refreshments were served.

ARTWORK

Text from some of the familiar artwork that you can view at City Hall follows:

• Desmond Tutu, “was a South African Anglican bishop and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. He was Bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986 and then Archbishop of Cape Town from 1986 to 1996, in both cases being the first black African to hold the position.”

• Nelson Mandela, “studied law and became one of South Africa’s first black lawyers. Early in the 1950s he was elected leader of the youth wing of the ANC (African National Congress) liberation movement. He shared the Nobel Peace Prize with President Frederik Willem de Klerk.”

• Mary Jackson, “was an American mathematician and aerospace engineer at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). In 1958 she became NASA’s first black female engineer.”

• Guion Stewart Bluford, Jr. “is an American aerospace engineer, retired United States Air Force (USAF) officer and fighter pilot, and former NASA astronaut in which capacity he became the second person of African descent to go into space.”

• Barack Obama and Nobel Peace Prize

• Ronald Erwin McNair, “was an American NASA astronaut and physicist. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in 1971 and a Doctoral Degree in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1978.”

• John Lewis, “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up, you have to say something, you have to do something.”

• Frederick Douglass, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

• Rosa Parks, “I believe we are here on the planet earth, to live, grow up and do what we can to make this world a better place for all people to enjoy freedom.”

• Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

• Harriet Tubman, “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the start and change the world.”

• W. E. B. DuBois book, “The Souls of Black Folk”

• Harriet Tubman

• Condolezza Rice, “Born November 14, 1954. American educator politician, who served as national security adviser and Secretary of State to United States Pres. George W. Bush”

• Thurgood Marshall, “Born: July 2, 1908, Died: January 24, 1993. He was a judge, first African-American Justice of the United States Supreme Court.”

• Booker T. Washington, “Born: April 5, 1986, Died: November 14, 1915. He as a famous slave freed after the Civil War Who Spent his life building Tuskegee University.”

• Lionel Richie album cover, “Can’t Slow Down”

• Bob Marley album cover, “Legend the Best of Bob Marley and the Wailers”

• Donna Summer album cover, “Greatest Hits One the Radio Volumes I and II”

• Commodores album cover, “Midnight Magic”

• Michael Jackson album cover, “Off the Wall”

• Christone “Kingfish” Ingram album cover, “Kingfish”

• Etta James album cover, “At Last!”

• Leon Bridges album cover, “Coming Home”

• Willis Coleman Battle, Jr.

• Rosa Parks – “Montgomery Bus Boycott and The Life of Rosa Parks”

• George M. West and Narcisco “Hank” Massalina, “An Extraordinary Friendship”

• Nat King Cole album cover, ”The Very Thought of You”

• Marvin Gaye album cover, ”The Greatest Hits”

• Billie Holiday “Lady Day”

• Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. album cover, ”The Two of Us”

• Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong

• Duke Ellington

• Michael Jackson album cover, ”Thriller”

• Ella Fitzgerald

• The Temptations album cover, ”All the Time”

• Nat King Cole album cover, ”Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer”

• Carter Godwin Woodson, “An American historian, author, journalist, and the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. He was one of the first scholars to study the history of the African diaspora, including African-American history. Born: December 18, 1875 (New Canton, VA), Died: April 3, 1950 (Shaw, Washington, D. C).

• Richard Allen, “A minister, educator, writer, and one of America’s most active and influential Black leaders. In 1794, he founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first independent Black denomination in the United States. He opened his first AME church in 1794 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Born: February 14, 1760 (Delaware Colony), Died: March 26, 1831 (Philadelphia, PA).”

• Maya Angelou, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

• Martin Luther King, Jr., “A man who won’t die for something is not fit to live.”

• Morgan Freeman, “Dr. Martin Luther King is not a black hero. He is an American hero.”

• Martin Luther King, Jr., “I Have a Dream.”

• Homer and Helen Jackson, “Reading Room. This Reading Room is dedicated to the the legacy of Homer Jackson, Sr. and his wonderful companion, the Lovely and Wonderful Helen Jo Wright Jackson. Homer Shakespeare Jackson, Sr., the Poet-Philosopher, Writer, Lecturer, and Educator, made immeasurable contributions to schools, churches and communities.

• Barack Obama

• Michelle Obama

• Sidney Poitier “was a Bahamian and American actor, film director, and diplomat. In 1964, he was the first black actor and first Bahamian to win the Academy Award for Best Actor.”

• Kobe Bryant “was an American professional basketball player. He was the first African American to win Short Film. He also was the first athlete to win an Academy Award and the first person to win both an Olympic medal and an Academy Award.”

• Jackson Robinson “was an American professional baseball player who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era.”

• Nina Simone book, ““What Happened Miss Simone?”, by Alan Light, a biography inspired by the acclaimed Netflix documentary”

• Jackie Robinson book, “”Jackie Robinson American Hero” by Sharon Robinson.”

• John Lewis, “Presented by Paul Hunt and George Smith”

• Flossie Jones Lewis, “We Met the Challenge: Flossie Jones Lewis and Public Health Nursing in Bay County’s Black Community.”

• Hidden Figures, book that inspired the film, “”Hidden Figures” The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race”

• Black Mathematicians written about in the book, “Hidden Figures.”

• Frederick Douglass book, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, and the Fourth of July Speech,” by Frederick Douglass

The text of the Proclamation can be read below, as provided by Caitlin Lawrence, Public Information Officer, City of Panama City:

~ PROCLAMATION ~

WHEREAS, In 1915, Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson, noted Black scholar and son of former slaves, founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History and initiated Black History Week on February 12, 1926; and

WHEREAS, February 2024, marks the ninety-eighth anniversary of the observation of Black History Month in the United States, a national effort to accord official recognition to the heritage of African Americans; and

WHEREAS, The theme for Black History Month 2024 is “African Americans in the Arts”. African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching,

racial pogrom, and police killings since their arrival upon these shores;

and

WHEREAS, African Americans have achieved triumphs, successes, and progress as seen in the end of chattel slavery; dismantling of Jim and Jane Crow in the South, increased political representation at all levels of government, desegregation of educational institutions, the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Amendment of 1965; and

WHEREAS, Black resistance strategies have served as a model for every other social movement in the country. Thus, the legacy and importance of these actions must never be forgotten. Across the generations, African

Americans have demonstrated profound moral courage and resilience to

help shape our nation for the better; and

WHEREAS, Without the story of African Americans, the story of America is

incomplete; Black History Month seeks to fully restore the struggles and triumphs into our national narrative; and

WHEREAS, Black History Month is a time for all Americans to remember the stories, teachings, suffering, and struggles of African Americans who

gave a voice to the daily struggles for freedom, equality, diversity, and

inclusion; and

WHEREAS, Because of their determination, hard work, intelligence, and

perseverance; African Americans have made valuable and lasting

contributions to achieving exceptional success in all aspects of life,

including businesses, education, politics, science, and the arts; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Janice L. Lucas, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Commissioner, Ward II of the City of Panama City, Florida, do hereby proclaim the month of February 2024 as

“BLACK HISTORY MONTH”

I urge all citizens to join me in extending recognition and honor during this month, themed “African Americans in the Arts”, as well as throughout the year to African Americans for outstanding achievements and contributions to our nation. We hope all will take the time during this month to recognize African Americans and will emphasize the significance of continued civil

rights movements in an effort to unite all citizens of Panama City, Florida.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Official Seal of the City of Panama City, Florida to be affixed this First day of February in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand Twenty-Four.”

City of Panama City, Florida

________________________________

Janice L. Lucas, Commissioner Ward II