Nov 24, 2025 - Culture

Tampa's 1960 Woolworth sit‑ins documented in new film

Kathryn Varn

A green historic marker with gold text that reads "WOOLWORTH SIT-IN Tampa's former F.W. Woolworth Store." — A historic marker commemorates the sit-in at East Polk Street and North Franklin Street in downtown Tampa. Photo: Kathryn Varn/Axios

Tampa's Jim Crow-era lunch counter sit-ins are the subject of a new documentary streaming online now.

Why it matters: The student-organized protests at F.W. Woolworth downtown laid the groundwork for integration at businesses across the city.

State of play: The history was reenacted on stage this year with a run of "When the Righteous Triumph," a play written by a University of South Florida professor.

The documentary, "Triumph: Tampa's Untold Chapter in the Civil Rights Movement," offers another chance to learn about the sit-ins through historical footage and interviews with surviving organizers.

How to watch: The documentary is streaming online here. WEDU PBS will also air the film at 9pm Dec. 4.

A community screening is set for 6pm Dec. 2 at Beulah Baptist Institutional Church in Tampa. Register online here.

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Tampa's 1960 Woolworth sit‑ins documented in new film

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