https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app Celebrating Black culture, heritage, and community in Pensacola and the Gulf Coast. Stories that matter, told by the people who live them. en Mon, 25 May 2026 05:32:46 GMT the-pensacola-beacon@polsia.app (The Pensacola Beacon) https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/pensacola-beacon-media-scholarship-deadline-june-15-2026 https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/pensacola-beacon-media-scholarship-deadline-june-15-2026 The Pensacola Beacon Media Scholarship is open to Black students in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Applications close June 15, 2026 — $2,000 to $2,500 awarded to journalism and media students. Scholarships The Beacon Staff Mon, 25 May 2026 05:32:46 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/black-owned-businesses-pensacola-guide https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/black-owned-businesses-pensacola-guide From Belmont-DeVilliers to Brownsville to East Hill, Pensacola has a deep, enduring network of Black-owned restaurants, barbershops, boutiques, and cultural institutions. Here is your guide to spending your dollars where they do the most good. Community Voices The Beacon Staff Sun, 24 May 2026 07:10:56 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/black-fatherhood-pensacola-legacy-love-leadership https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/black-fatherhood-pensacola-legacy-love-leadership Black fathers in Pensacola are coaching Little League teams, running businesses, sitting on school boards, leading congregations, and raising the next generation of Gulf Coast leaders. This is their story. Community Voices Marcus Reynolds Fri, 22 May 2026 05:23:38 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/history-meaning-juneteenth-pensacola https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/history-meaning-juneteenth-pensacola June 19, 1865 marked the end of slavery in Texas — but Juneteenth's roots in Pensacola run deep, shaped by the city's unique history as a port city, a military town, and a community that has always known how to hold its own story. Culture & Heritage Aisha Thompson Thu, 21 May 2026 05:23:38 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/black-led-summer-events-pensacola-2026 https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/black-led-summer-events-pensacola-2026 Juneteenth festivals, outdoor concerts, community cookouts, and cultural gatherings: here is everything on the calendar for Black Pensacola this summer. Community Voices Marcus Reynolds Thu, 14 May 2026 18:14:52 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/black-painters-poets-performers-pensacola-arts-scene https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/black-painters-poets-performers-pensacola-arts-scene From Gallery Night on Palafox to the African American Heritage Society on Church Street, Pensacola's Black artists are creating, exhibiting, and building community right now. Arts & Music David Washington Wed, 13 May 2026 18:14:52 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/saenger-theatre-pensacola-black-performing-arts-legacy https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/saenger-theatre-pensacola-black-performing-arts-legacy From segregated balconies to sold-out stages, the Saenger Theatre mirrors the long arc of Black artistic expression in Pensacola — a story of talent that refused to be silenced. Arts & Music Aisha Thompson Sun, 03 May 2026 13:07:52 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/black-entrepreneurs-building-pensacolas-future https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/black-entrepreneurs-building-pensacolas-future From tech startups to professional services and retail, a new generation of Black-owned businesses is reshaping Pensacola's economic landscape beyond the restaurant scene. Community Voices Marcus Reynolds Sat, 02 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/state-of-education-equity-escambia-county https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/state-of-education-equity-escambia-county Black students in Escambia County face measurable gaps in access, resources, and outcomes. Here's what the data shows, and what community organizations are doing about it. Scholarships David Washington Sat, 02 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/juneteenth-pensacola-complete-guide-2026 https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/juneteenth-pensacola-complete-guide-2026 Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021. In Pensacola, the celebration runs deeper — with events hosted by community organizations who have kept this tradition alive for generations. Culture & Heritage Aisha Thompson Sat, 02 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/black-owned-restaurants-pensacola-culinary-tour https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/black-owned-restaurants-pensacola-culinary-tour Community Voices David Washington Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:29:41 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/famu-pensacola-black-journalists-making-stories-heard https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/famu-pensacola-black-journalists-making-stories-heard Scholarships Marcus Reynolds Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:28:59 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/legacy-pensacola-black-churches-faith-community-civil-rights https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/legacy-pensacola-black-churches-faith-community-civil-rights Culture & Heritage Aisha Thompson Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:28:12 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/5-pensacola-black-owned-businesses-you-should-know https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/5-pensacola-black-owned-businesses-you-should-know From culinary innovation to creative services, Black entrepreneurs are building something real on the Gulf Coast. Here are five businesses worth your attention — and your dollars. Community Voices Aisha Thompson Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:18:21 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/supporting-the-beacon-why-membership-matters https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/supporting-the-beacon-why-membership-matters Reader-funded journalism is not just a business model — it is a statement of values. Here is why your support of The Pensacola Beacon matters, and how to become a member. Community Voices The Beacon Staff Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:17:44 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/juneteenth-gulf-coast-history-celebration-resistance https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/juneteenth-gulf-coast-history-celebration-resistance From Reconstruction-era jubilees in Pensacola to the federal holiday recognized in 2021, the story of Juneteenth on the Gulf Coast is one of perseverance, community, and the ongoing work of freedom. Culture & Heritage Marcus Reynolds Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:16:56 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/gulf-coast-scholarships-black-media-students https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/gulf-coast-scholarships-black-media-students The Beacon Scholarship Fund invests in the next generation of Black storytellers. Here's who qualifies, how to apply, and why it matters. Scholarships The Beacon Staff Sat, 11 Apr 2026 12:46:20 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/belmont-devilliers-neighborhood-changed-everything https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/belmont-devilliers-neighborhood-changed-everything The historic heart of Black Pensacola was more than a neighborhood. It was a self-contained world of jazz clubs, theaters, and thriving businesses that shaped a city. Culture & Heritage Marcus Reynolds Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:46:20 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/chappie-james-pensacola-trailblazer https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/chappie-james-pensacola-trailblazer The first African American four-star general in U.S. Air Force history was born and raised right here in Pensacola — and his legacy still lights the way. Community Voices Tonya Jackson Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:21:30 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/women-who-built-black-pensacola https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/women-who-built-black-pensacola From beauty salons to boarding houses, Black women entrepreneurs shaped Pensacola's Gulf Coast economy for decades. Their stories deserve to be told. Culture & Heritage Aisha Thompson Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:46:20 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/beacon-scholarship-program-overview https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/beacon-scholarship-program-overview Investing in the next generation of Black media creators. Here is everything you need to know about applying. Scholarships Tonya Jackson Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:30:00 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/belmont-devilliers-black-business-thrived https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/belmont-devilliers-black-business-thrived Before there was a formal name, there was a district — a 30-block stretch where Black Pensacola built economic independence. Culture & Heritage Tonya Jackson Mon, 06 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/why-the-pensacola-beacon-exists https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/why-the-pensacola-beacon-exists Every community deserves a mirror that reflects its fullness. Here is our mission. Culture & Heritage Tonya Jackson Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/how-to-submit-your-story https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/how-to-submit-your-story Got a story about Black life on the Gulf Coast? We want to hear it. Here's exactly how to submit to The Pensacola Beacon. Community Voices The Beacon Staff Sun, 05 Apr 2026 12:46:20 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/what-is-the-pensacola-beacon-mission-vision https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/what-is-the-pensacola-beacon-mission-vision A digital magazine preserving Black Gulf Coast heritage, funding scholarships for the next generation, and building a community that tells its own stories. Community Voices Tonya Jackson Sat, 04 Apr 2026 12:46:20 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/2026-beacon-scholarship-recipients https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/2026-beacon-scholarship-recipients Three outstanding students from Pensacola will receive full scholarships to study journalism and media. Meet the future of Black storytelling. Scholarships Tonya Jackson Thu, 02 Apr 2026 03:08:22 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/chitlin-circuit-belmont-devilliers https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/chitlin-circuit-belmont-devilliers Before Motown, before Nashville, there was Belmont-DeVilliers. A look back at the Pensacola neighborhood that hosted the greatest names in Black music. Culture & Heritage Tonya Jackson Wed, 01 Apr 2026 03:08:22 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/jazz-on-the-gulf-pensacola-live-music https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/jazz-on-the-gulf-pensacola-live-music From intimate jazz clubs to outdoor festivals, Pensacola's Black musicians are keeping the city's musical heritage alive and evolving. Arts & Music Tonya Jackson Tue, 31 Mar 2026 03:08:22 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/chef-marcus-williams-taste-of-belmont https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/chef-marcus-williams-taste-of-belmont How one chef is preserving Black culinary traditions while feeding a new generation in the heart of Pensacola. Community Voices Tonya Jackson Mon, 30 Mar 2026 03:08:22 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/black-owned-businesses-downtown-pensacola https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/black-owned-businesses-downtown-pensacola From a specialty coffee roaster to an art gallery changing the conversation, these entrepreneurs are writing a new chapter for the city. Community Voices Tonya Jackson Sun, 29 Mar 2026 03:08:22 GMT https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/fort-pickens-beacon-of-freedom https://the-pensacola-beacon.polsia.app/articles/fort-pickens-beacon-of-freedom The Civil War-era fort on Santa Rosa Island was more than a military outpost. For freedom seekers, it was a gateway to a new life. Culture & Heritage Tonya Jackson Fri, 27 Mar 2026 03:08:22 GMT