Councilwoman Gwendolyn Henderson. (Photo via City of Tampa)
TAMPA | LGBTQ+ officials are remembering Tampa City Councilmember Gwendolyn Henderson after her sudden death June 10. She was 60 years old.
“With heavy hearts, Mayor Jane Castor and Tampa City Council Chairman Alan Clendenin confirm the sudden death of Councilwoman Gwendolyn Henderson of District 5,” the city shared June 10. “A West Tampa native, Councilwoman Henderson touched the lives of many as a teacher, community activist and elected official.”
Henderson taught for Hillsborough County Public Schools and was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. She also ran Black English Bookstore in Tampa Heights, dedicated to elevating Black voices.
The educator discussed the venture with Watermark Out News last year amidst ongoing efforts to ban books led by conservative lawmakers and groups.
“There was a need and an opportunity, especially during this peak period where our state governor and Moms for Liberty have taken it upon themselves to be very organized to ban books that I have decided to liberate,” Henderson shared. “That’s right — liberate.”
“This is my way of pushing back against everything going on and it’s coming at the right time,” she added. “It’s important to me.”
Henderson began representing District 5 in 2023, which includes Downtown Tampa, the Channel District and Ybor, home of Tampa Pride. She served as chair of the Community Redevelopment Agency and more.
“Councilwoman Henderson was a powerhouse in our community — she was a teacher, business owner, and champion for African American culture and Tampa’s history,” officials noted. “Her sense of humor energized our city and her loss leaves a deep void for all of us.”
“My heart aches today,” Castor shared in a statement. “Gwen Henderson was a force of nature. I first met her after she joined the Tampa City Council in 2023 and was immediately taken by the joy and passion she brought to everything she did — raising a family, public service, promoting black culture and literature, teaching and mentoring, cheering on the Bucs.
“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,” the mayor continued. “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.”
“I am devastated about the passing of my friend, Councilwoman Gwen Henderson,” Clendenin shared. “Gwen always brought her heart and soul to our debates on Council, and to our discussions as colleagues and friends. From her students at Jefferson High School to her patrons Black English Bookstore, to her sisters at Delta Sigma Theta, she impacted so many in our City and community, she is loved and will be missed.”
State Rep. Michele Rayner, who represents Tampa Bay’s District 62, noted Henderson “was more than a colleague in public service — she was a woman of deep conviction, a fierce advocate for her community, and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., where our shared bond as Sorors was rooted in a commitment to sisterhood, scholarship, and service.”
“Gwen lived those principles every day,” she continued. “… Tampa has lost a powerful and brilliant voice, and I have lost a dear sister. My thoughts are with her family and her beloved daughter, and all those whose lives she touched. We must keep building the world she envisioned as possible to honor her legacy.”
The Hillsborough County LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus also reflected on Henderson’s public service. The organization endorsed her in the city council race and called her election historic, noting “her fight for her community was admirable.”
“We are saddened to lose an ally and hope that her legacy of building better communities — especially in our adopted Precinct 305 in Ybor City and parts of East Tampa, an area she represented — continues. We will continue to fight for the hope she believed in, just as she did, never wavering.”
Tampa Pride’s board also offered their “heartfelt condolences to her family, loved ones, and all those affected by this significant loss.” The organization noted “Gwendolyn was more than a council member; she was an ally, a trailblazer, and a fierce advocate for her community. Her impactful legacy will be forever cherished and remembered.”
Henderson died of natural causes overnight. Plans to honor her life will be shared in the coming days.
