There might not be one gotdamn soul in Tampa that knows more about Madame Fortune Taylor Ranson than Gloria Jean Royster (pictured, left, along with fellow historian and preservationist Brandie Miklus).
The Tampa-based journalist, author and historian can talk (and walk) circles around the stories about the formerly enslaved woman who became one of Tampa’s most prominent 19th-century Black entrepreneurs and landowners.
In 2017, Royster’s activism led local leaders to restore the name of downtown’s Madame Fortune Taylor Bridge, hopefully reminding residents and visitors alike that the city needed Taylor to help bridge West Tampa to the rest of the burgeoning city.
On Monday—the anniversary of the renaming—Royster invites neighbors to mark the anniversary of the renaming by spending any part of the day at the bridge, whether enjoying the views, or even the bats that flight out of the southeastern end as the sun goes down.
Downtown Tampa’s Madame Fortune Taylor Bridge is at the corner of W Laurel St.and Doyle Carlton Dr. near the Straz Center and Juian B. Lane Riverfront Park. More information is available via @fortunetaylorranson on Instagram.
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This article appears in Oct. 15 – 21, 2026.
