Race and War: Race Relations in Tampa During World War II

Pearl Harbor served as a siege gun in the history of modern Tampa. On the eve of Pearl Harbor, Tampa was a southern city of 108,000 inhabitants. A rigid line defined race relations, but the war launched the first massive struggle for freedom and justice across the Deep South and America. African-American ministers and teachers and soldiers and civilians launched a Double-V campaign: war against totalitarianism and a war against racism and intolerance.

Gary R. Mormino is the Frank E. Duckwall professor emeritus in history at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. He continues to teach a class in Modern Florida and World War II. Presently, he is the scholar in residence for Florida Humanities. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina. His most recent title Dreams in a New Century was published by the University Press of Florida in May 2022.

Refreshments will be served. Parking is available onsite.

This program is a partnership between Florida Humanities and the Sulphur Springs Museum and Heritage Center. Funding for this program was provided by Florida Humanities and sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the aforementioned entities.