Panama City officials expand Black History Month celebration

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - As people across the country prepare to celebrate the achievements of African Americans who have made a difference, Panama City officials are putting their own plans in place.

Quality of Life Panama City is expanding its Black History Month celebration in an effort to highlight diversity in the city. The department has teamed up with several community partners including Florida State University Panama City, DADSRA-Panhandle, Bay County Branch NAACP and LEAD Coalition of Bay County. Together, they have set up Black History Month events that will take place every Saturday in February.

Sean DePalma is the Quality of Life Director. He says his team is excited about the expansion.

“That’s what we want to do here in the Panama City,” DePalma said. “We want to expand the opportunity for people to interact with each other and actually get to know the history of Black History Month, and what has gone on in the past, how we can recognize it and also how we can make friends and build a stronger community moving forward and to the future. So it’s exciting to have so many events and so many opportunities for our community to come together.”

A Black History Month display with the faces of powerful figures who have made and preserved history despite trials and tribulations has also been organized at City Hall. The exhibit is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The public is encouraged to join.

Ricky Steele is a professional artist and is also collaborating with Quality of Life. His artwork will be displayed at the various events scheduled to take place in February. Steele says the department’s efforts is a step in the right direction.

“As African Americans we are always last when it comes to things, so it shows me that the city is noticing that we want to do more events to celebrate the culture,” said Steele. “It was a time we didn’t have this it was a time when you would just come to city hall and you wouldn’t see any of our faces but now to come into city hall and see someone like John Lewis or Martin Luther King on an exhibit that’s celebrating the culture of African America, that’s a blessing.”

Panama City Mayor Greg Brudnicki is set to proclaim Black History Month in Panama City on February 1. It will take place at 3:30 p.m. at City Hall on Harrison Avenue and West 5th Street.

The list of Quality of Life Panama City Black History Month events are as followed:

1. Local Black Baseball History; 2/4/23; 12 p.m. - 2 p.m.; Oak Grove Field
2. Honoring Nurse Flossie Lewis Health Fair; 2/11/23; 11a.m. - 2 p.m.; FSU Panama City
3. First Families of Bay County; 2/18/23; 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.; Rosenwald High School
4. 2nd Annual PC Family Heritage Reunion Festival; 2/25/23; 1 p.m.- 5 p.m.; Carl Gray Park

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