cultured books

03/02/2026

📚✨ Happiest Reading Month!

We’re celebrating reading — and inviting children, youth, families, and caregivers to lend their voice.

The St. Pete Reads Study is about listening. We want to understand what helps children, youth, and families connect with reading, and what sometimes gets in the way, so we can build programs that align with community voice.

When we say “community voice,” we mean ensuring our community’s real experiences, needs, and hopes guide what we create.

📝 Complete the survey and receive $15 for your time and feedback. **

📍 Join us at the James Weldon Johnson Literacy Festival
🗓️ Saturday, March 21
⏰ 10 AM – 2 PM

Stop by, say hey, and take the survey in person.

**We’re inviting 160 Black youth and their caregivers, and/or families from the global majority in St. Petersburg, to take part in our survey. If you live in zip codes 33701, 33705, 33712, 33711, 33707, 33710, or 33713, or your child attends a Pinellas County Transformational Zone school, your household can participate — with up to three people per household eligible to complete the survey and receive a gift card.

03/02/2026

09/25/2025

Big thank you to Samuel Edme and Creative Loafing Tampa for shining a light on our upcoming St. Pete Reads! Lit Fest and all the dope literary happenings across Tampa Bay!

If you’re looking for bookish fun today, check out YA by the Bay, happening now until 8 PM at the Tampa Convention Center!

Nadia got to attend with her school today and had an amazing time, creating and writing.

We love seeing our local literary scene celebrated and connected.

Read more: https://www.cltampa.com/arts/20-upcoming-cons-and-festivals-from-antiques-to-zines/

09/24/2025

Y’all remember that one book or magazine you couldn’t put down as a kid? 📚

The one you kept by your bed, read on the school bus, or couldn’t wait to get back to.

Or maybe it was flipping through Ebony… or memorizing lyrics from the CD booklet. 🎶

Tell us, what were you reading?👇🏿

09/23/2025

✨ We launched St. Pete Reads! Lit Fest in 2022 because our community asked for more spaces to celebrate reading, culture, and imagination.

Y’all! Four years later, we’re still building this tradition together! 📚

Join us for St. Pete Reads! Lit Fest 2025— a celebration of our books, our culture, and our community!

📅 Saturday, November 1, 2025
📍 Legacy Gardens at the Woodson Museum

📷 St. Pete Reads! Inaugural Lit Fest, 2022 — Photos by Medina Karagic

09/22/2025

📚✨ We’re back, St. Pete! ✨📚

The 4th Annual St. Pete Reads! Lit Fest is happening Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 | 11 AM – 4 PM at the Woodson African American Museum of Florida 🎉

🎤 Featuring award-winning + debut authors, live music 🎶, art activities 🎨, and a vibrant Vendor Village 🏬

✨ FREE for the whole family!

👉🏿 Learn more + register: www.culturedbooks.org/litfest



https://stpetereadslitfest.eventbrite.com

06/10/2025

Deepest condolences to Ms. Henderson's daughter and family. Praying for comfort and peace!

https://bookshop.org/shop/blackenglishbooks

-LH

With heavy hearts, Mayor Jane Castor and Tampa City Council Chairman Alan Clendenin confirm the sudden death of Councilwoman Gwendolyn Henderson of District 5.

A West Tampa native, Councilwoman Henderson touched the lives of many as a teacher, community activist, and elected official. She was sworn into the Tampa City Council on May 1, 2023, and shortly after became Chair of the Community Redevelopment Agency.

Councilwoman Henderson was a powerhouse in our community — she was a teacher, business owner, and champion for African-American culture and Tampa’s history. Her sense of humor energized our city and her loss leaves a deep void for all of us.

Councilwoman Henderson brought passion, empathy, and deep community knowledge to her role. Elected in 2023, she was known for her fierce advocacy on issues of education, equity, and economic opportunity. Prior to serving on City Council, she spent decades as a dedicated educator with Hillsborough County Public Schools and served on the City of Tampa’s Citizens Review Board. She was the current chair of Tampa’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), a small business owner and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

The City of Tampa extends its deepest condolences to her family, loved ones, and all those impacted by this tremendous loss.

Councilwoman Henderson was found unresponsive and transported by Tampa Fire Rescue to the hospital this morning, where lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful.

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

04/10/2025

The Deuces, or Historic 22nd Street South in St. Petersburg, FL, is more than just a stretch of road, it's a landmark of Black culture, resilience, and creativity.

Once the heart of a thriving Black business and entertainment district, The Deuces pulsed with jazz, joy, and justice during a time when segregation tried to silence voices. But this street spoke, and still speaks.

Join us for Poetry on the Deuces, Apr. 26th to learn of the Deuces rich history and create a poem inspired by our local landmark.

04/07/2025

Hey St. Pete! It’s been a minute!⁣
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How yall doing? Hope you're finding joy and a good book!⁣
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I’m excited to share that we’ll be hosting a dope event later this month, and I’d love for you and the kiddos to join us. It’s called Poetry on the Deuces.⁣
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If you’ve been to Poetry in the Gardens at the Woodson or Poetry in the Park at Wildwood, this will feel familiar. We read, we create. But Poetry on the Deuces is a bit more special. This time, we’ll be learning about Historic 22nd Street, also known as The Deuces.⁣
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What to Expect:⁣
🚶🏽‍♀️ A walking tour of Historic 22nd Street led by Caprice Edmond, School Board Member⁣
📖 Youth volunteer Ava reading Dream Street⁣
📝 A poetry workshop based on what you learned or what inspired you during the tour⁣
🥤 Refreshments, always⁣
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If you're interested in joining, please sign up and let us know how many people you’re bringing. That will help us prepare things like refreshments, books, and workshop materials.⁣
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Poetry on the Deuces is part of the National Humanities Center’s Being Human Festival (U.S.), exploring the theme Landmarks. Join me as we explore our local landmark, The Deuces.⁣
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We’ll meet at the Manhattan Casino as our starting point. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and I’ll see you on the Deuces.⁣
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- Lorielle⁣
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The National Humanities Center's funding and support from Deuces Live and the African American Heritage Association of St. Petersburg make this event possible.⁣
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As part of the “Being Human Festival US,” which runs from April 14 to April 28, “Poetry on the Deuces” is one of 19 community events supported by the National Humanities Center across the country. This festival celebrates the humanities' capacity to enhance our understanding of ourselves, connect us, and illuminate the complexities of today's world.⁣
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