Escambia County Commissioner Lumen May spotlights Brownsville elders' oral histories for Black History Month

County Commissioner Lumen May opened a recorded Black History Month segment at the Brownsville Community Center by introducing longtime local residents who shared personal memories of segregation, work and community life in Pensacola’s Brownsville neighborhood.

“Today, we're here celebrating Black History Month right here at the Brownsville Community Center,” Commissioner Lumen May said, introducing the group of women whose memories span the Jim Crow era to the present. The program, part of May’s televised “May’s Message,” brought together women described in the program as members of the Brownsville Silver Seniors.

The participants — several of whom described decades of work in nursing, education and local business — recounted discrimination they faced in workplaces, segregated facilities and public life. Sarah Charlie, who said she was among the first Black employees at a factory in her hometown, recalled harassment and exclusion and summarized part of her experience simply: “It was rough.”

Several speakers connected their life stories to long local institutions. One participant said she worked at Baptist Hospital for 47 years and reflected on how that work shaped her life and service to the community. Another, Leola Snow, described training as a stenographer and a long career at Bell Telephone in Pittsburgh, saying she became the only African American division secretary at that company during her tenure.

Speakers also emphasized faith, family and intergenerational teaching as primary supports. Lorene Madison Spencer, who spoke about teaching and community life in Monroeville and Pensacola, told younger listeners to “trust God” and to hold to a life of service and study. Several of the women urged parents and grandparents to mentor children and to support education as a path forward.

Commissioner May placed the segment in local context, noting changes in neighborhood institutions: “As we transition and see that Baptist has relocated and things are gonna come in the neighborhood, it motivates me to wanna fight the fight,” she said. May invited neighbors to the Brownsville Community Center’s Tuesday and Thursday Silver Seniors meetings to hear more firsthand history.

The program ran as a community oral-history-focused conversation rather than a formal county meeting. No formal votes, motions or county actions were recorded during the segment. The participants framed their remarks as memories and advice for younger generations, repeatedly stressing faith, family and resilience.

The segment concluded with May thanking the women for sharing their stories and encouraging viewers to preserve and pass along those memories. Participants said they plan to return for future segments to continue sharing local history.