Explore Oaklawn Cemetery with Fred Hearns, one of Tampa Bay’s foremost historians and the Tampa Bay History Center’s first curator of Black history. A longtime community leader, Hearns has spent decades researching and preserving the stories of Tampa’s people and neighborhoods.

During this 90-minute tour, Hearns guides guests through Oaklawn Cemetery, Tampa’s oldest public burial ground. Established in 1850 as a burial place for “white and slave, rich and poor,” Oaklawn reflects the social, political and cultural history of Tampa’s earliest years.

Guests will encounter the graves of 13 Tampa mayors, a Florida governor, enslaved people, individuals associated with piracy, cigar industry leader Vicente Martinez-Ybor and more than 200 Native Americans. The cemetery also contains two mass burial sites, contributing to its solemn and complex history.

Hearns connects these burial sites to the broader development of Tampa, drawing upon his knowledge of African American history, civil rights and the communities that helped shape the city. His work emphasizes that Black history is inseparable from Tampa’s history, bringing greater recognition to people whose experiences and contributions have often been overlooked.

Held on Halloween morning, the tour offers an atmospheric opportunity to explore one of Tampa’s most intriguing historic landmarks. Although Oaklawn is often associated with local legends and mystery, the tour centers on documented history and the lives of the people buried there.

The tour begins at the south entrance of Oaklawn Cemetery, 606 E. Harrison St., Tampa, FL 33602, between Morgan and Jefferson streets. Guests will stop at notable sites throughout the cemetery while walking along its shaded paths. Comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing are recommended. Guests may also want to bring bottled water.

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Advance tickets are required, and space is limited to 25 guests. History Center members save 20% on walking tour tickets by signing in before checkout.

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