Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 3-12-21

Feature Local
‘Star Of The Month’ Award To Dedicated Employee
JOHNNY WATSON
Johnny Watson, an employee of the Yacht Star Ship, was recognized as the January, 2021 ‘Star of the Month.’
Watson, also a part-time employee of The Sentinel, has been with Star Ship for 11 years. He started out as a line cook, was moved to dish- washer, and is now a porter,
where he handles shipping and receiving. Sometines, he may be called upon to assist with preparing food.
“I thank God for my job; because I love my the work that I do,” he said.
A Tampa native who at- tended the public schools of Hillsborough County, Wat- son is a Deacon in Training at Friendly Missionary Bap- tist Church.
Resurgence Of Book Sales Reveals Renewed
Interest In Black History Of Tampa Bay
ERSULA KNOX ODOM ...Author
BY MONIQUE STAMPS Sentinel Staff Writer
A renewed interest and resurgence in sales of a won- derful book originally written in 2014 has its author excited. African Americans of Tampa by Ersula Odom explores Tampa’s rich African Ameri- can community history. Sto- ries and facts that are missing from traditional history books are brought to life in Ms. Odom’s book.
Ms. Odom believes that last year’s Black Lives Matter protests and calls for social justice and the need to under- stand and explore Black cul- ture and history is the reason.
Since the newest Civil Rights Movement, the book has been selected to read in high school classes and is fea- tured at Tampa Bay Books. You can also find it at select Walgreens as well.
Ms. Odom is well known for her expertise on Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune and for her one-woman show explor- ing the life of Dr. Bethune.
Her book, African Ameri- cans of Tampa explores how the population grew in the early 1900s and Blacks were the ones that built the founda- tions of the city. The book also explores how the Black people played significant roles in everything from Tampa’s wilderness era to its boom- town years and were key play- ers in the first and second Seminole Wars.
Black soldiers captured Fort Brooke during the Civil War and fought in the Spanish- American War. And its Black residents have endured Jim
Crow, desegregation, and racial unrest yet thrived as en- trepreneurs. Black Cubans, played a big part in the com- munity, and enabled Tampa’s world-renowned cigar indus- try. The photographs are steeped in history and show the resilience of the commu- nity as they built Tampa.
The photo-filled book offers readers a chance to peek into those turbulent times while feeling kinship with the dedi- cated souls that built the city we live in.
It also includes the evolving social world with histories of churches, sororities, and fra- ternities. It also educates its readers about the Black- owned businesses in Tampa that turned into a bustling, thriving economy over time.
Ms. Odom is the author of other books as well and can be found by visiting her website at www.sulatoo.com. She is also a talented muralist, and her artwork can be found all over Tampa as well as a walk- ing tour guide.
Her book, African Americans of Tampa, was originally released in 2014.
PAGE 2-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021