Fred Hearns, who’ll speak at The Portico in Tampa, Florida on July 12, 2024. Credit: Photo via tampasblackhistorymuseum/Facebook

A year after opening “Travails and Triumphs,” which tells the 500-year story of Black history in the Bay area, the Tampa Bay History Center (TBHC) has an even bigger plan.

TBHC, together with the Tampa Housing Authority (THA), will open Tampa’s official Black History Museum in the Encore district, which sits on the same land once referred to as “The Scrub.”

The museum will live at the St. James Church (1202 N Governor St.), which THA spent $2 million restoring. Fred Hearns, Curator of Black History at the history center will help bring the museum to life and this week joins the early birds at Cafe con Tampa to discuss how he plans to continue uncovering the past and inspiring future generations.

Tickets to hear Fred Hearns talk about Creating Tampa’s Black History Museum One Story at a Time during Cafe con Tampa at The Portico are still available for $12.

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This article appears in Jul 4-10, 2024.