Child holding father's hand

Celebrate Black History Month

Gallery on the Avenue at Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Public Library

Art piece: Isn't She Lovely
Art piece: Lady Swings the Blues
Art piece: Dizzy

In addition to the public art display the Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Public Library is pleased to feature a small art gallery, sponsored by the Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Library Foundation, featuring local African American artists.

James Vann: Art & Soul

February 3 - 27, 2020

Experience the style and look of musical masterpieces on canvas. James Vann feels strongly about preserving the legacy of jazz music and keeps it alive through his Neo-Cubist paintings. Characterized by big, bright and bold geometric shapes, Vann’s paintings make you see and feel the music. The exhibit is located in the front lobby and is open during hours of operation

Explore African American Art & Artists

Black History in the Tampa Bay Area

Girls' dance class at Branch YMCA, 1008 East Kay Street [1951]
Portrait of two members of Foster Booster Club [1944]
People on foot on Franklin Street [1922]
C. Blythe Andrews, secretary and treasurer, Central Life Insurance Company [1936]
Board of Directors of Central Life Insurance Company [1945]
Members of Middleton High School girls basketball team [1949]
Booker T. Washington High School girls' basketball team with trophies [1949]
Mrs. Preston M. Pughsley and guests in parlor setting with floral arrangements [1948]
Four women members of Foster Booster Club [1944]
Children on swings in playground at Helping Hand Nursery and Kindergarten [1925]

These and more can be found in the Burgert Brothers Photographic Collection, a unique record of Tampa Bay spanning the late 1800s to the early 1960s.

Our Lives, Our Legacies: The Hillsborough Black Experience

The goal of this online collection is to record and preserve the stories of African American residents in Hillsborough County.

St. Peter Claver 9th grade graduation class of 1948

This project began when the library was awarded a grant from 'StoryCorps @ your library,' a national program designed to encourage multi-format public programming on broad themes of oral narrative, local history and heritage.

View the collection

Discover Our Local Black History

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African Americans & the Vote: Instantly Read, Listen and Watch with Your Library Card! Discover Hoopla

Black History Reads

Explore our titles to learn more about the important contributions by African Americans to art, science, sports, and pop culture.

Assorted book covers

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Recommended Reads for Kids