TAMPA, Fla. — As the nation celebrates Black Music Month, one of Tampa’s most significant pieces of Black history is moving closer to a long-awaited revival.
The historic Jackson House — a former rooming house that welcomed legendary Black entertainers during segregation — is entering a new chapter after more than a decade of uncertainty.
Built in 1901, the Jackson House once served as one of the only places in downtown Tampa where Black travelers could find lodging during the Jim Crow era. Icons like Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles and Nat King Cole are among the many artists who stayed there while performing along Central Avenue, once known as the heart of Tampa’s Black cultural scene…