TAMPA HEIGHTS, Fla. — Gwendolyn Henderson grew up in a Tampa house where books and knowledge were life and power.
Even when her mother brought home an encyclopedia, it was revered as something special.
That's why the new Black English Bookstore in Tampa Heights is more than a business venture — it's a dream realized.
"My heart and soul are in here," she said.
Henderson is both a Tampa teacher and city council member, a native who adores the area that helped raise her.
Black English, whose name comes from a James Baldwin quote, primarily celebrates Black authors. However, Henderson wants the store's shelves to be diverse and inclusive.
"I grew up in the era of integration," she said. "Yes, it is predominantly Black authors here, but the other books are not discriminated. They all get along on the shelves, and that's the way I like it."
For more on Black English Bookstore, go here.
