Honoring Hattie Wright, Tampa's Version of Rosa Parks
More than three decades before Rosa Parks bravely defied Jim Crow segregation laws and became "the mother of the civil rights movement," the fearless and powerful Hattie Wright stood her own ground in Tampa.
Wright will be recognized today with the unveiling of a park bench and sign recognizing her strength in the face of a racist attack.
"What Hattie Wright had to overcome then would be unthinkable now," Mayor Jane Castor said. "But more than 100 years ago, it was too often an accepted reality. Hattie Wright stood alone, her skin color making her an outcast to many, but she knew her worth, knew her dignity, and defended herself. She is a hero we're proud to recognize today."
In September 1919, Hattie Wright boarded a Tampa streetcar in Ybor City. The 23-year-old tried to sit in a row in the back that had been designated seating for Black people. But one 18-year-old white passenger was sitting in the row and verbally and ultimately physically threatened her, before throwing her on the ground and battering her. Wright used the pocket knife that she was carrying to defend herself.
“When Hattie Wright was told to sit down, she stood up," Councilman Luis Viera said. "In a time of unbelievable brutality and terror inflicted on black Americans, this woman exhibited courage that we remember over 100 years later. All this woman wanted was the kind of dignity and respect that God wants for us all. This is a message that is especially relevant for us in 2026.”
The case, which reached the Florida Supreme Court, helped establish that black citizens had a moral right to violently defend segregated space against white intrusion.