Soul of Southside Art & Humanities Festival 3rd Annual “Evening of Remembrance”

The Southside Redevelopment Advisory Council is hosting the third annual “Soul of Southside: Art & Humanities Festival.” This year’s theme of an “Evening of Remembrance” brings together scholars and local officials to discuss the development of Tallahassee Black businesses and entrepreneurship through time, from the moment of emancipation through modern times.

This conversation will include information about future public and private development and investment within Tallahassee’s Southside, which is an area characterized by connected and contiguous historically segregated Black neighborhoods and community landmarks. This year’s forum will focus on how businesses and a Black-only economy sustained the lives of families in the area — from agriculture to hair salons, tailors to movie theatres, Tallahassee’s Southside has a rich history of economic resilience in the face of a social structure designed to exclude their participation. Notable figures from the Southside business landscape over the past 100 years will be highlighted, which includes paying homage to instrumental figures like Dean Sybil Mobley, founder of the Florida A&M School of Business and Industry.

Parking is available at the garage off Gadsden Street and some off-street parking available as well. The opening reception begins at 5:30 pm, followed by the program at 6:15 pm. Funding for this program is provided in part through a Florida Humanities Community Project Grant with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities and in partnership with Southside Redevelopment Advisory Council . Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.