Janelle Irwin Taylor
Tampa City Council member Gwendolyn Henderson has died. She was 60 years old.
Henderson represented District 5 on the City Council, where she replaced embattled former member Orlando Gudes, who lost to Henderson in 2023.
Born on Oct. 5, 1964, in Tampa’s Carver City, a working-class neighborhood, Henderson is a true Tampa native, having attended local public schools before earning her undergraduate degree from Florida A&M and a Master of Education from Saint Leo University.
As an educator, her top priority in office was focusing on future generations, telling Florida Politics after she was elected in 2023 that she was “always thinking about them in every decision that I will make.”
City Council colleague Luis Viera, who wasn’t always on the same side of Henderson on topics debated from the dais, praised Henderson for her passion for young people, Black history and her family.
“More than anything, I always loved to hear Gwen talk about her family and where she came from, because it informed everything Gwen did. I loved to hear her talk about her late mother who she lionized; her heroic late father who she always proudly said served in the Korean War and came home to Tampa to raise a family in Carver City; her loving sister; and her daughter who she loved with all of her heart,” Viera said.
It was Henderson’s sister who was at the center of the controversy plaguing Gudes’ tenure. She was an aide to Gudes, who made several claims against her boss, alleging inappropriate comments, sometimes sexual, which prompted a city investigation.
Henderson denied that’s why she ran against him, arguing instead that she “gave Black people a choice in this community,” according to the Tampa Bay Times. District 5 is a majority minority district and has historically been represented by a Black City Council member.
“Her love for her hometown was evident in every action she took — from championing affordable housing and public safety to standing up for seniors and small businesses,” U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor said.
“Gwen fought for the hopes and dreams of her community, including advocating for the rebuilding and expansion of the Fair Oaks Recreation Center in East Tampa. As the owner of the Black English Bookstore in Tampa Heights, she preserved Black history for future generations. I have been proud to work closely with Gwen often—from securing federal support for important community initiatives to supporting students and parents with free laptops when the COVID-19 pandemic forced remote learning.
Because Henderson passed away more than 15 months before her term would have ended, a Special Election will be required to fill the remainder of her term. According to the Tampa City Charter, the city must call for a Special Election within 10 days of the vacancy. Candidates will have at least five business days to qualify for the Special Election, with at least 30 days allowed to circulate qualifying petitions.
The charter calls for the Special Election to be held on the fourth Tuesday after the qualifying deadline. A runoff election between the top two vote-getters would be held within 28 to 36 days after the Special Election if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote.
District 5 is a single-member district covering downtown Tampa, East Tampa and Ybor City, among other surrounding areas.
At the time of her election, Henderson served as the head of career and technical education at Jefferson High, where she had graduated decades earlier. She got interested in potentially running for office after a frustrating experience with code enforcement, which happened around the same time she read the book “Run for Something: A Real-Talk Guide to Fixing the System.”
And with that, she brought to the Tampa City Council a deep passion for the residents of her district, many of whom had shared life experiences.
“Gwen had a passion for Black History — from 1619 to 1865 to 1968 to today. I always told people that if you wanted to see the beauty of her heart, you should stop by her dream realized — her Black English bookstore. That bookstore was about the pride she had in the journey of her family and families like hers — from the names we know to the names we will never know,” Viera said.
