New Book Honors African Americans In Tampa Local Author Reveals History Using Vintage Images

Tampa has a fascinating past that has been wonderfully documented with one exception: African Americans, which is the subject of Ersula Knox-Odom's book. End Quote

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL (1888PressRelease) November 13, 2014 - The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing's popular Images of America series is African Americans of Tampa from local author Ersula Knox-Odom. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images documenting Tampa's both well-known and little-known African-American history. "Tampa has an incredibly rich African-American history with a large portion of it unknown to most," Odom said.

The communities and businesses built by the unknown pillars of Tampa's community are celebrated in this exciting new book. "Whether they were employed by others or functioned as business owners, African Americans were a part of the very foundation upon which Tampa was built," Odom said.

The book provides insight to the day-to-day life and accomplishments of African Americans and their descendents in Tampa from 1864 in the Civil war, through racial unrest of the Jim Crow years, to present day. "Hopefully, this book will open hearts and minds to ask, "What's the rest of the story?"-and then seek to uncover it. There are so many untold African American stories, and many who are aware of them are quiet mainly because no one has asked them to share," Odom said.

Join the Author for a Book Signing!

- When: Saturday, December 5, 2014 at 6:00 pm
- Where: Open Café
- 3222 N 34 St, Tampa, FL 33605

- When: Wednesday, February 18, 2014 at 6:00 pm
- Where: Florida Museum of Photographic Arts
- 400 North Ashley Drive, Tampa, FL 33602.

Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at (888)-313-2665 or online.

Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America's people and places. Discover more than 9,000 small towns and downtowns at http://www.arcadiapublishing.com.

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