ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — The City of St. Petersburg raised a flag marking the beginning of Black History Month on Thursday.
It could be the final time the Dr. Carter G. Woodson flag is raised over City Hall, if a proposed bill restricting flags flown at municipal buildings passes the Florida Legislature. Woodson is regarded as the “father of Black history.”
Florida bill banning pride flags from schools, government buildings moves forward
If passed, HB 901 would prohibit the display of “flags that represent a political viewpoint, including, but not limited to, a politically partisan, racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology viewpoint.”
In Thursday’s flag-raising ceremony, Mayor Ken Welch, City Council Chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders and Terri Lipsey Scott, Executive Director of the Woodson African American Museum of Florida, delivered remarks.
In his speech, Welch reflected on the history of St. Petersburg’s Black communities and vowed to make good on the promise made to residents of the Historic Gas Plant District decades ago, as the city plans to redevelop the area surrounding Tropicana Field .