You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

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

  • A person standing outdoors, wearing a white shirt and dark pants, holding a book. The background features a building with paneled outer walls and a grassy area.

    Remember the Time!

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

    Celebrating USF's Black Alumni Celebrate the University of South Florida's 70th anniversary and commemorate the 65th anniversary of Ernest Boger becoming the university's first Black student in September 1961. USF …

    Free

  • Pi Iota Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity

    Thee Mighty Pi Iota

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

    80 Years of Omega Brotherhood and Service Celebrate 80 years of service, scholarship and community with the Pi Iota Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. Members will share the …

    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.

SIGN UP

Florida history starts in 4th grade.

Did you know Florida history is taught in fourth-grade social studies? Our field trips bring that curriculum to life, align with state standards and offer local schools an affordable option for meaningful, hands-on learning.

BOOK A FIELD TRIP
Students explore the galleries of the Tampa Bay History Center