Tampa councilwoman opens bookstore dedicated to African-American literature
TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa City Councilwoman Gwendolyn Henderson decided to highlight the rich history of African-American literature by opening up the "Black English Bookstore."
Gwendolyn Henderson's days are full of excitement at her Tampa bookstore.
"It's a gathering space," said Henderson. "Tampa Heights, where I live for 32, 33 years now, is a beautiful and diverse community, and I want the folks who enter this bookstore to be representative of that diversity."
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Her love of reading led her to open up the "Black English Bookstore." The bookstore is dedicated to Black authors and culture.
"Reading opens the mind. It gives you experiences. It gives you a thought process. It helps with critical thinking. It provides you with information," Henderson stated.
She aims to stir conversations by championing diversity at the one of a kind bookstore.
After teaching entrepreneurship for three decades in the Hillsborough County Public School system, Henderson, decided it was time to practice what she had been teaching.
Pictured: Gwendolyn Henderson
"From the plan that I created with my students, the future plan was brick and mortar, and now here it is. The opportunity presented itself and I just had to do it," she said.
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The bookstore boasts over 2,000 books, delving into topics like historically Black colleges and universities and powerful Black figures such as former-President Barack Obama or Anne Lowe. There are even sections on Black love, Black art, books written by Black chefs, a children's section and more.
"I think that it is so needed and it's amazing," said Noreen Copeland Miller, customer. "This is incredible story. I've heard a lot about it, and I know that she has some very good books that really are focused on Black history."
Vanessa Mcneil brought her daughters to immerse them in the experience of exploring a bookstore.
"A lot of things we just order online," said Mcneil. "But the experience of coming into a bookstore, I think is something that you know we need to keep going. We need to give our kids the experience of that."
Henderson embarked on this journey with the hope that visitors to her bookstore would have a truly one-of-a-kind experience.
"When I say to people when they come in, and they embrace, and they are excited. I did this for us. I did it for our community, and I am excited to receive the love," she said.
The bookstore has everything from cookbooks to poetry. For more information, click here.