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Tampa's Black History Museum
Welcome

Welcome to Tampa's Black History Museum

The museum welcomes visitors for the programs listed below, by appointment and for special programming at 1213 N. Central Ave. in Tampa’s Central Park neighborhood. For more information, call 813-945-2077. The museum’s permanent exhibit and gallery are scheduled to open in June 2027.

Upcoming events Video gallery

Upcoming Events

Events

Today

  • Stack of old family photographs with Archives Awareness Week banner

    Archives Awareness Week: Unlocking the Shoebox Preservation Workshop

    Featured
    Tampa's Black History Museum 1213 N Central Ave, Tampa, FL, United States

    Bring a few items from your personal collection! We will kick off with an inspiring panel featuring local historians, community elders, and preservation experts. You will learn the best practices for handling, digitizing, and storing delicate photos and documents. More importantly, we’ll discuss the profound cultural significance of everyday Black history and why your family's …

    Free

Video gallery

Black Roots: From Dobyville to College Hill

This program featured a discussion with friends and neighbors who lived in 1960s Tampa during segregation. It explored the growth of Black communities across the Tampa Bay area, including the Scrub, Dobyville, Spring Hill, Bealsville, West Tampa and College Hill.

Twistin’ Down Central: A Tribute to Tampa’s Black Music Legends

This program explored Central Avenue’s cultural legacy through the work of Black musicians who performed in Tampa, including Tampa Red, Ella Fitzgerald, Chick Webb and Ray Charles. It highlighted the music that shaped one of the city’s most important entertainment districts.

Near the Cross: Tampa’s First Black Churches

This program examined the history of Tampa’s first Black churches, beginning with Mt. Sinai African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, founded in the Scrub in 1863. It traced the growth of Black congregations across Central Avenue, Tampa Heights and Bealsville.

An Evening with Bernard LaFayette Jr.

This program featured a conversation with the Rev. Dr. Bernard LaFayette Jr. about his role in the Civil Rights Movement, from the 1960 Nashville sit-ins to his work with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Promotional graphic for Tampa’s Black History Museum. A black-and-white archival photograph of The Scrub in Tampa, Florida, in 1933 fills the background, showing a church and neighborhood buildings. The museum’s logo appears centered on top, with large “TBHM” letters, a four-color horizontal bar, and the words “Tampa’s Black History Museum.”
Volunteer

Join today as a TBHM Ambassador

Volunteer Ambassador sign-ups are now open. Ambassadors support public programs and help share the history and culture of Black Americans in Tampa. This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact while connecting visitors.

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