# Event Details

- **Event Name**: Florida Conversations: The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers
- **Event Start and End Date**: Wed, 11 Feb, 2026 at 12:00 pm
- **Event Description**: Join this season’s Florida Conversations for an exploration of African American history in Thoroughbred racing. This program features Roda Ferraro, director of the Keeneland Library and curator of The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers, a traveling exhibition hosted by the Tampa Bay History Center.

Through a talk and audience Q&A, Ferraro highlights the lives and careers of African American horsemen and women from the mid-1800s to today. From nationally celebrated jockeys and trainers to the skilled caretakers who worked behind the scenes, the program examines how generations of Black professionals shaped the racing industry across the United States, often in the face of systemic exclusion.

Florida Conversations is free and open to the public. It is underwritten by the Tampa Bay History Center Endowment Fund at the University of South Florida with media sponsorship from WUSF Public Broadcasting. The series is co-sponsored by USF Libraries and the Tampa Bay History Center. Online reservations are encouraged.

Florida Conversations will be presented in-person, in TECO Hall at the History Center, and virtually through Zoom. A recording will be posted on YouTube after the event.

About the Speaker

Roda Ferraro is director of the Keeneland Library and a curator specializing in the history and culture of Thoroughbred racing. With more than twenty years of experience in library, museum, and educational leadership, her work centers on expanding access to historical collections and amplifying underrepresented narratives within the sport.
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/tampa/florida-conversations-the-heart-of-the-turf-racing’s-black-pioneers/200029442723129
- **Event Categories**: sports, exhibitions
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 26

## Ticket Details


## Event venue details

- **city**: Tampa
- **state**: FL
- **country**: United States
- **location**: 801 Water St, Tampa, FL, United States, Florida 33602
- **lat**: 27.9421
- **long**: -82.45007
- **full address**: 801 Water St, Tampa, FL, United States, Florida 33602

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: Florida Conversations: The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events10/banners/b0605017aefd779add78f8d9e29662ac52a3dab75c7a34bd8c5eb09d674d370b-rimg-w1200-h675-dca5958c-gmir?v=1769001857

## FAQs

- **Q**: When and where is Florida Conversations: The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers being held?
  - **A:** Florida Conversations: The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers takes place on Wed, 11 Feb, 2026 at 12:00 pm to Wed, 11 Feb, 2026 at 12:00 pm at 801 Water St, Tampa, FL, United States, Florida 33602.
- **Q**: Who is organizing Florida Conversations: The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers?
  - **A:** Florida Conversations: The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers is organized by Tampa Bay History Center.
- **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me?
  - **A:** Florida Conversations: The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers is ideal for art lovers, trade professionals, collectors, and exhibition enthusiasts exploring the latest in their field. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Tampa, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Florida Conversations: The Heart of the Turf: Racing’s Black Pioneers sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast.

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