Walk through East Tampa with Fred Hearns, curator of Black history at the Tampa Bay History Center and Tampa’s Black History Museum, and hear the stories of the people who built College Hill.

During this 90-minute guided tour, Hearns shares the history of one of Tampa’s oldest Black communities. In the late 1800s, Black families began purchasing lots in the area after being promised that a college for Black students would be built nearby. The college never opened, but the community continued to grow. By the late 1920s, more than 5,000 Black residents called College Hill home.

Tour stops include the C. Blythe Andrews Jr. Public Library, home to the Florida Sentinel Bulletin special collection; Belmont Heights Estates; Memorial Park Cemetery, established in 1923 and the final resting place of many of Tampa’s Black leaders; and Belmont Heights Little League, where future Major League Baseball stars Dwight “Doc” Gooden and Gary Sheffield learned to play.

The quarter-mile (eight city blocks) tour follows public sidewalks and brick streets. Tours are limited to 25 people, allowing time for questions and conversation along the way. Guests should wear comfortable shoes and clothing suitable for walking outdoors. Bottled water is also recommended.

This tour begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2027, from the C. Blythe Andrews Jr. Public Library (2607 E. Dr. MLK, Jr. Blvd., Tampa, Florida 33610) and does not depart from the Tampa Bay History Center. Please check your eTicket confirmation email for updates.