TAMPA, Fla. — Inside Ersula’s History Shop, you can learn all about Tampa’s Black History.
“I am proud when you walk in that door and you go, ‘Wow!’” said Ersula Odom, owner of Ersula’s History Shop, author, and publisher.
Many of us have hobbies.
“I collect dates and memorabilia, all things having to do with history,” said Odom.
Odom’s hobby has always been history.
“As I collect things and talk about Black history, displaying that history in any form I can is what I do," said Odom.
She started collecting things when she was just a kid.
“I look for the connections because we are all interconnected,” said Odom.
Decades later, that manifested itself into the opening of Ersula’s History Shop in 2022.
“I just like the feeling that I have when I understand something that happened before and can use it as wisdom today and share it with someone,” said Odom.
The small space in Tampa is packed from top to bottom with all kinds of things like books, trinkets, artifacts, letters, photos—the list goes on and on.
“I can save someone’s history from going in the garbage and give it another life by letting someone else have it,” said Odom.
All of it highlights Black history.
“That’s what all of this is about. Connecting with history so it can teach you some things or motivate you or inspire you to do something today and tomorrow," said Odom.
There’s an emphasis here on Tampa’s Black history on all kinds of topics.
“I have everything from politics, music, military,” said Odom.
She has written several books.
“I wrote 'African Americans of Tampa,'” said Odom.
This early interest turned into her life’s purpose.
“Our stories are at risk of not being told or not being told correctly,” said Odom.
She wants to help tell those stories to every person who comes to visit her shop.
“I want them to come in and have an ‘aha moment' where they discover something, remember something, or have something to talk about with another generation,” said Odom.
Because everybody’s got a story.
“The average and ordinary story that becomes extraordinary,” said Odom.
Ersula’s History Shop is located at 1421 Tampa Park Plaza and is open 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
