Experience new virtual exhibitions highlighting St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Sarasot
August 26, 2020 [St. Petersburg, FL] – The Florida Holocaust Museum (The FHM) is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of three digital exhibitions based on the Museum’s original exhibition Beaches, Benches, and Boycotts: The Civil Rights Movement in Tampa Bay. The digital experience contains three different virtual exhibitions highlighting areas throughout Tampa Bay. The virtual experiences are divided between St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Sarasota. The three new digital exhibitions will be accessible beginning on August 28th online at TheFHM.org.
On August 28, 1963, the African American Civil Rights Movement reached its peak when Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The demonstrators came together in the nation’s capital to demand voting rights and equal opportunity for African Americans and to appeal for an end to racial segregation and discrimination.
Tampa Bay remained racially segregated at the dawn of the Civil Rights era and many local institutions and establishments held out on integration for several years after Brown v. the Board of Education and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“These three virtual exhibitions highlight the foot soldiers who bravely acted and spoke out to end racial inequality throughout Tampa Bay. We are excited to share this valuable information about our region’s history with students and our community through these new online exhibitions,” said Erin Blankenship, The FHM’s Director of Collections and Interpretation.
Under “Jim Crow,” every aspect of African American life in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and their surrounding cities was segregated. Restricted covenants were in place that segregated residential neighborhoods. African American children had to attend segregated schools that were under-funded and often in disrepair. Blacks could only be cared for at “Black only” hospitals, and other public and private establishments like restaurants and beaches were often segregated – if Blacks were allowed in at all.
The Civil Rights Movement in Tampa Bay may have had characteristics similar to other areas of the south but its stories are its own. These digital exhibitions illuminate our region’s struggle with racial equality and shine a light on the local leaders who changed our cities.
Please stay engaged with The FHM online through the Museum’s virtual tour, virtual resources, online curriculum, collections, Holocaust Survivor testimonies, and on its social media pages Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
The Florida Holocaust Museum looks forward to announcing the reopening of the Museum. Please continue to visit TheFHM.org for Museum updates.
About The Florida Holocaust MuseumOne of the largest Holocaust museums in the country, and one of three nationally accredited Holocaust museums, The Florida Holocaust Museum honors the memory of millions of men, women and children who suffered or died in the Holocaust. The FHM is dedicated to teaching members of all races and cultures the inherent worth and dignity of human life in order to prevent future genocides. For additional information, please visit www.TheFHM.org