Gwen Henderson, Tampa City Councilwoman and owner of Black English bookstore, dies at 60

Tampa City Councilman Gwendolyn Henderson has died at age 60, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay has learned.

Henderson was elected to represent District 5 in May 2023 and frequently stood for residents of East Tampa who have long lamented the way their neighborhoods have been treated, especially during the city’s recent years of rapid growth.

Her cause of death is still unclear, and her office did not immediately return a call from CL.

In a statement, the City of Tampa said she died at home of natural causes overnight. “Tampa Fire Rescue personnel responded to an emergency medical call this morning and transported Councilwoman Henderson to the hospital, where life-saving efforts were unsuccessful,” the city added.

Shortly after her election, Henderson also opened the Black English bookstore in Tampa Heights. The store—located at 401 E Oak Ave.—was years-in-the-making for the retired educator, who stocked the shelves with the work of African American and Black authors like James Baldwin, former Georgia State Rep. Stacey Abrams, Kennedy Ryan (the first Black winner of a RITA Award for romantic fiction), and “Top Chef” finalist Gregory Gourdet.

The bookstore is a place where Black visitors can see themselves, and it was a place where residents and visitors could see a true version of the councilwoman, a Tampa resident and Carver City kid who became a proud alumni of Thomas Jefferson High School and FAMU.

Henderson often referred to the books in her shop as “emancipated,” adding that there is not a “banned” section at Black English because all the books are free. Work from non-Black authors isn’t segregated either.

“They get to come to the cookout. They mixed in with us. They don’t get a special table, a section, they are in here,” Henderson said in a recent video about Black English.

“Every time I went in there, I always saw Gwen’s heart as a woman who loved her family, loved her community, and had a real passion for Black history and for the history of people like her and her family,” District 7 Councilman Luis Viera told CL.

District 3 Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak told CL she was shocked and saddened to learn about Henderson’s passing this morning. “I am proud to have worked alongside Councilwoman Henderson—who, like me, was a neighborhood advocate, business owner, and former teacher,” Hurtak added.

Henderson had dubbed Hurtak “15,” and Hurtak called Henderson “16,” in reference to their places in the sequence of women to ever serve on Tampa City Council.

“I deeply regret that I will no longer be able to enjoy her laughter, infectious spirit, and boundless energy as we continue our work to build a Tampa that works for everyone,” Hurtak said.

District 4 Councilman Bill Carlson told CL Henderson—who bought her Tampa Heights home with the assistance of Tampa Preservation, Inc., and Mayor Sandy Freedman’s City of Tampa Challenge Fund—should be remembered for her years of service to the community not just from the dias, but as an educator and community leader.

Carlson said Henderson was a fierce advocate for women and her students, adding that, “On stage she loved to debate but off stage she was smart, witty and kind.”

Henderson also served as chair of Tampa’s Community Redevelopment Agency’s board and was appointed by Tampa Mayor Jane Castor to the board of Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART).

On social media, Castor shared a warm memory of the councilwoman taking a call from Vice President Kamala Harris in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. The mayor also said that her heart ached at the loss of “a force of nature”; she recalled meeting the councilwoman and being taken by Henderson’s joy and passion not just for her work as a public servant but as a family woman, Black historian, teacher and sports fan.

“We didn’t agree on everything – and she was not shy in telling me so – but you always knew Gwen approached public service with common sense and a deep love and commitment to our community,” Castor added. “She loved, loved, loved her students, and just a few days ago, texted me the name of a young singer, ordering me to have this young lady sing the national anthem. With straight talk, great humor, fierce intellect, flamboyant fashion, grit and guts, Gwendolyn Henderson represented Tampa at her best. We will miss her dearly.”

In its statement, the City of Tampa called Henderson a powerhouse teacher, business owner and champion for not just Black history, but the city’s history as well. “Her sense of humor energized our city and her loss leaves a deep void for all of us,” the city wrote.

There are more than 15 months left on Henderson’s term as city councilwoman, meaning there will be a special election to fill Henderson’s seat.

Tampa City Charter (Section 10.01. – Miscellaneous—Elections and Vacancies, Section 4) says that the Supervisor of Election will run a special election.

The election must be called withi 10 days from the date of the vacancy, and candidates must be given at least five business days to qualify for the special election.

“…but there shall be a period of at least thirty (30) days in which to allow candidates to circulate qualifying petitions. The special election shall be held on the forth [sic] Tuesday following the date of the deadline for qualifying,” the charter adds.

Plans to honor Henderson’s life and service will be shared in the coming days, according to the city.

This is a developing post.

Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.

Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky

This article appears in Jun 5-11, 2025.