Blake High School alum Lionel Ballard realized that no one had put together a definitive history of the community staple, so he did it himself. Credit: Photo by Ray Roa
As part of Tampa Bay’s Black History Month programming, attendees can learn about the historic Rogers Park Golf Course and its service to the local Black community.

Lionel Ballard, West Tampa native, author of a new book about the course, and outreach coordinator for First Tee of Tampa Bay, will host this educational event happening Saturday, Feb. 25 at noon inside downtown Tampa’s Tampa Bay History Center at 801 Water St.

When Rogers Park was constructed in 1952, it was one of the only places where Tampa’s Black residents could host picnics or other recreational activities. Guests will also have access to Black History Month activities that the History Center’s Teen Council will lead throughout the rest of the month. 

This article appears in Feb 16-22, 2023.

Kyla Fields is the food critic and former managing editor of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay who started their journey at CL as summer 2019 intern. They are the proud owner of a charming, sausage-shaped, eight-year-old...