showcasing local African Americanrelated
art and cultural displays. In
2020, the city partnered with local
artists to fund a large colorful Black
Lives Matter mural now on permanent
display in the street in front of the
museum.
SPOTLIGHT ON ST. PETE
Look for additional local history at
the two designated African American
Heritage Trails that span several miles
within the “Deuces”, a neighborhood
that was once the center of a thriving
African American community prior
to desegregation. The Manhattan
Casino is a legacy of that time, when
jazz legends like Duke Ellington and
Louie Armstrong stopped in St. Pete
and entertained audiences at this historic
1920-era venue.
Going forward, another visible testament
to the African American
community will be part of a major
redevelopment of the former St.
Petersburg Police headquarters into
a multi-million dollar residential,
-
ect includes a monument honoring
The Courageous 12—local Black St.
fought for social justice and successfully
integrated the police department
in the early 1960s.
2021 | St. Petersburg’s Visitors Guide 9