Page 8 - Florida Sentinel 2-28-20

Feature
Traveling Civil Rights Exhibit At Sulphur Springs Museum Documents Florida Movement
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
Many events of the Civil Rights Movement are well-doc- umented: the March on Wash- ington, the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Freedom Rides.
But while those played out on the national stage, there are many others that occurred much closer to home: the first lunch counter sit-in in Lake-
land, Ax Handle Saturday in Jacksonville, protests in Talla- hassee.
A new traveling exhibit at the Sulphur Springs Museum, “Civil Rights in the Sunshine State,” highlights key events during the Movement in Florida. Through April 25, visi- tors to the museum can get a lesson about this period of state history.
Created by the Florida Mu-
seum of History, the more than two dozen panels on display fea- ture the above and other mo- ments that took place in cities through the state, including St. Augustine, St. Petersburg, and Ocala.
“While people often associ- ate the Civil Rights Movement as a period from long ago, these events happened just some 60 years ago, said Norma Robin- son, the museum’s vice presi- dent.
“And many of the battles fought then – such as voter sup- pression – continue today”, she said.
“We thought this was a good fit (for the museum), not only
Sulphur Springs museum vice president, Norma Robinson standing in front of ‘Civil Rights in the Sunshine State’ panel at the museum exhibit.
because of Civil Rights (Move- ment), but also because of vot- ing (rights),” she said. “As much as things have changed, they have more or less, remained the same.”
An example of that is the re- cent controversy surrounding returning citizens and restoring their right to vote. The Circuit Court of Appeals for the 11th Dis- trict ruled last week that a state law prohibiting the formerly in- carcerated from voting until legal fines related to their sen- tences were paid, was unconsti- tutional.
Some voting advocates have compared the law to a poll tax –
voter suppression tactics that was implemented during the Jim Crow era to prevent Blacks from voting.
“(The United States) is still making it hard for African- Americans to vote,” she said.
If You Go:
“Civil Rights in the Sun- shine State” will be on dis- play through April 25 at the Sulphur Springs Museum, 1101 E. River Cove St. Ad- mission to the museum is free. The museum is open from11a.m.to4p.m. Wednesday through Satur- day.
PAGE 8-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2020