Ybor City is a historic neighborhood just north of downtown Tampa. It was founded in the 1880s by a cigar manufacturer, and populated by thousands of immigrants from Spain, Cuba, and Italy who came to work in his factories. Following the depression of the 1930s, and the Second World War, Ybor City’s population dwindled and its cigar manufacturing ceased. After decades of neglect, the area is now being redeveloped as a nightclub and entertainment district.

Now a National Historic Landmark, Ybor City still honors its past, particularly its namesake, Vincente Martinez Ybor. A famous Cuban cigar maker, Ybor was expelled from Havana by the Spanish in 1868, and set up a cigar business in Key West, Florida. Once again, Ybor had to move, this time due to high costs, labor strife, and transportation difficulties. He ultimately established his cigar business in Tampa in 1886, and his “company town,” named Ybor City, became the world’s leader in cigar manufacturing.

This mural honors his legacy. I photographed only half of his face, suggesting that he may no longer be with us, but what he accomplished lingers in the collective memory of Tampa, Florida. I include a small American flag attached to the wall next to the mural in this image. Its red, white and blue colors echo those in the mural and even the blue bricks below it. My photograph turns the poster into political imagery – an example of living history linking Ybor’s efforts to the nation and city that would eventually come to benefit the most from his accomplishments.