TAMPA, Fla. — The historic Jackson House will soon receive a historical marker outside its premises to acknowledge its significance to the Tampa community.
Located on Zack Street, this 24-room rooming house provided a welcoming space for Black travelers during the era of Jim Crow when other establishments refused them entry.
Despite its current state of disrepair, numerous efforts have been made over the years to preserve this home.
10 Investigates obtained a preview of the marker’s text, which states:
“The historic Jackson Boarding House was initially built as a private residence by Moses and Sarah Jackson in the late 1890s. The Jackson family later converted it into a boarding house while continuing to reside there.
This conversion likely began around 1910, but the house expanded both in significance and size following the opening of Tampa Union Station, a railway station serving passengers and freight.
“The Jackson Boarding House’s close proximity, less than one block to the east, to the newly established railroad station offered essential accommodations for African American railroad workers and visitors to Tampa.
During this period and until the early 1960s, racial segregation laws prohibited African Americans from staying in white hotels, motels, and boarding houses.
Establishments like the Jackson Boarding House played a vital role during the era of segregation, and while there were other boarding houses (or hotels) available for Black visitors to Tampa, this is the sole surviving example.
“The Jackson family retained ownership of the building throughout its tenure as a boarding house, which came to an end in the 1990s. They then used it as a private residence until 2010.
Erected in 2023.”
The marker will be unveiled during the City of Tampa’s Soul Walk, and Robin Nigh, the manager of arts and cultural affairs for the city, emphasized the significance of the Jackson House within the community.
“The Jackson House is actually one of the key elements of Soul Walk,” said Nigh. “Its inclusion greatly supports the advocacy efforts to preserve it. It holds immense importance within our community.”
The dedication ceremony will be held on Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Robert Saunders Library on Nebraska Avenue.
