The Heart of the Turf at Tampa’s Black History Museum

Join us at Tampa’s Black History Museum (TBHM) for an in-depth look at African American history in Thoroughbred racing.

This special program is presented by Roda Ferraro, director of the Keeneland Library and curator of The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers. Doors open at 5 p.m., followed by welcome remarks and an introduction at 5:30 p.m., Ferraro’s presentation at 5:45 p.m., audience discussion and Q&A at 6:30 p.m., and a reception at 7 p.m. Following the presentation and audience Q&A, guests are invited to a reception and an opportunity to experience the traveling exhibition.

Ferraro will highlight the lives, careers, and contributions of African American horsemen and horsewomen from the mid-1800s to today. From nationally celebrated jockeys and trainers to the skilled caretakers who worked behind the scenes, the program explores how generations of Black professionals helped shape the racing industry across the United States, often while facing systemic exclusion.