St. Pete Museum of History’s civil rights exhibit closes on Halloween

It’s common knowledge that resistance, protests and other organizing efforts from Black Americans pressured the U.S. government into passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but Florida’s vital role in these movements is sometimes overlooked. The St. Petersburg Museum of History—located at 335 2nd Ave. NE at the base of the St. Pete Pier— is changing that.

“Civil Rights in the Sunshine State” is on display at SPMOH until Halloween, and it’s one of the best places to learn about the contributions of Black St. Petians and Tampeños to the country’s Civil Rights movement. The exhibit features over 100 photographs, poster boards and artifacts that explain how the Civil Rights movement unfolded in Florida 60-something years ago, and details important actions like wade-ins at Spa Beach and Spa Pool, sit-ins at lunch counters on Central Avenue, and landmark lawsuits against the St. Petersburg Police Department.

It covers the timeline from the Rosewood Massacre of 1923 to Dr. Martin Luther King's 1964 arrest in St. Augustine. The exhibit—which is borrowed from the Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee—was supposed to go back to its permanent home last month, but its run was extended due to popular demand, according to ILovetheBurg.

One-day admission to St. Petersburg Museum of History, which includes access the “Civil Rights in the Sunshine State” among other exhibits,  costs $9-$15 (or free for kids under the age of 6). Its civil rights exhibit runs through Tuesday, Oct. 31. Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.

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