Triumph | Tampa's Untold Chapter in the Civil Rights Movement

About the Documentary

Set in 1960s Florida, this powerful documentary uncovers a hidden chapter of the Civil Rights Movement. A courageous group of Black high school students organized peaceful sit-ins at a downtown lunch counter, sparking a wave of change across the city. Their actions grew into a movement that opened restaurants, theaters, pools, and beaches to all. Through firsthand accounts and historical footage, the film brings to life the voices of ordinary people who transformed their community—and helped reshape a nation.

In the News

Learn more about the origin of the film and the play that inspired it: New York Times | Link to Story

Educational Materials

WEDU PBS is developing a collection of educational resources to accompany the documentary for national distribution on PBS LearningMedia. Designed for classroom use, these media-rich, ready-to-teach materials will support educators in bringing added depth and context to traditional textbook lessons on the Civil Rights Movement. The collection is scheduled to launch during Black History Month | February 2026.

For more information, contact the WEDU PBS Education Team | education@wedu.org

Go Behind The Scenes with the Triumph Team

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Tampa Woolworth sit-in participant Barbara Wright reflects on her yearbook from Middleton High School.

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Tampa Mayor Jane Castor declares March 1st Woolworth Sit-in Anniversary Day to honor the peaceful protests that took place on site and eventually helped desegregate the city.

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Former Florida State Senator Arthenia Joyner speaks at the Woolworth Sit-in Proclamation event in February 2025.

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Until 1960, only white patrons could eat at lunch counters across the Tampa Bay region, including the Woolworth's on Franklin Street in Tampa.

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Clarence Fort, second from right, was head of the NAACP Youth Council and organized sit-ins with high school students to protest segregation in Florida.

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Fred Hearns, Curator of Black History at the Tampa Bay History Center, leads a group on a Black history tour across Tampa.

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Actors Mark Wildman and Kelli Vonshay rehearse a scene from the stage play "When the Righteous Triumph".

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Videographer Imani Lee, Producer Maya Brooks and "Triumph" Director Danny Bruno smile for a selfie.

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Former Congressman & Florida State Senator James T. Hargrett Jr. looks out the window at the old Woolworth building on Franklin Street in Tampa, where he participated in the sit-ins to integrate the lunch counter.

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Former Congressman Jim Davis, grandson of Tampa attorney and civil rights champion Cody Fowler, speaks with sit-in participant John Billups.

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Julian Lane III, grandson of Tampa Mayor Julian B. Lane, sits for an interview to speak about how his grandfather helped integrate Hillsborough County.

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Civil Rights activist Clarence Fort and actor Kelli Vonshay take a photo together.

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Playwright Mark. E. Leib talks about the origin of his play "When the Righteous Triumph", and how the 1960 Tampa sit-in demonstrations should be remembered and honored on stage.

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Shirley Lowry, widow of Reverend A. Leon Lowry Sr., shares memories of her husband's leadership in the Civil Rights movement.

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Steven Lawson and Andrew Huse, both authors and historians, look through photographs as the USF Libraries Special Collections in Tampa.

Triumph | Across the Nation

We’re proud to announce that Triumph: Tampa’s Untold Chapter in the Civil Rights Movement will air on PBS stations in cities across the nation this February 2026. This powerful documentary is reaching audiences beyond West Central Florida, amplifying a pivotal story in American history. Here is the current list of participating cities and broadcast dates (as of January 16, 2026). Please check your local listings for additional airings.

Interested in Hosting a Triumph Film Screening