Panama City celebrates 100th anniversary of Black History Month – WJHG

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) -It’s Black History Month, and the city of Panama City is celebrating the history, contributions and lasting impact of Black Americans in the area and beyond.
This year, the festivities were extra special because 2026 marks 100 years of Black History Month.
The event featured guest speakers and performances by local artists and youth who are celebrating culture, heritage, and creativity.
The proclamation celebration emphasizes the importance of celebrating Black History Month.
“It started in 1926 by Dr. Carter G. Woodson because there was very little recognition of the contributions of slaves and their descendants to America,” explains Janice Lucas, the Panama City Ward 2 commissioner. “he wanted to counter the story that the only history was that of slavery, and so one hundred years later, we’re celebrating not only the black history of our nation, but also of our community here in the city of Panama City and Bay County.”
“It means a lot to me in how far we’ve come as America, and as people like me, and how we can change the world as us, young people,” said Izaiah Williams, the president of the Bay County NAACP Youth Council. ”How we can affect those that can’t help themselves, teach people different things, tell them about the different things that we’ve done, and that we can do to make the world a better place.”
Panama City has another Black History Month celebration coming up on February 19 — the “Black History Thru Music Showcase,” which will be in the City Hall Rotunda at 1 pm.
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