Tampa, Florida

===Mid to late 20th century===
[[File:Macdill-worldwarII.jpg|thumb|[[MacDill Air Force Base]] during World War II]]

Tampa grew considerably as a result of [[World War II]]. Prior to the United States' involvement in the conflict, construction began on [[MacDill Air Force Base|MacDill Field]], which served as a main base for [[United States Army Air Corps|Army Air Corps]] and later [[United States Army Air Forces|Army Air Forces]] operations just before and during World War II, with multiple auxiliary airfields around the Tampa Bay area and surrounding counties. At the end of the war, MacDill remained as an active military installation, while the auxiliary fields reverted to civilian control. Two of these auxiliary fields would later become the present-day [[Tampa International Airport]] and [[St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport]]. With the establishment of an independent [[U.S. Air Force]] in 1947, MacDill Field became [[MacDill Air Force Base]].

During the 1950s and 1960s, Tampa saw record-setting population growth that has not been seen since. This growth spurred expansion of the city's highways and bridges, bringing thousands into the city and creating opportunities for Tampa business owners, who welcomed the influx of tourists and new residents. It was during this time period in the city's history that two of the most popular tourist attractions in the area were developed&nbsp;– [[Busch Gardens]] and [[Lowry Park Zoo|Lowry Park]]. Many of the well-known institutions that play an important role in the economic development of the city were established during this time period.<ref name="arcadiapublishing.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.arcadiapublishing.com |title=Vintage Tampa Signs and Scenes |access-date=March 23, 2018 |archive-date=April 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420011135/https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[University of South Florida]] was established in North Tampa in 1956 and opened for students in September 1960.<ref>{{cite web |title=USF History |url=http://www.usf.edu/about-usf/history.aspx |work=usf.edu |publisher=University of South Florida |access-date=August 16, 2015 |archive-date=August 21, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150821053340/http://www.usf.edu/about-usf/history.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> The school spurred the construction of several residential and commercial developments in the previously agriculture-dominated area around the new campus. Overall, Tampa continued to expand away from the city center during the 1960s as new hospitals, schools, churches and subdivisions all began appearing to accommodate the growth. Many business offices began moving away from the traditional downtown office building into more convenient neighborhood office plazas.<ref name="arcadiapublishing.com"/>

In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau reported city's population as 80.0% white and 19.7% black.<ref>{{cite web |title=Race and Hispanic Origin for Selected Cities and Other Places: Earliest Census to 1990 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0076/twps0076.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120812191959/http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0076/twps0076.html |archive-date=August 12, 2012}}</ref>

Four attempts have been made to [[Consolidated city-county|consolidate]] the municipal government of the city of Tampa with the county government of Hillsborough County (1967, 1970, 1971, and 1972), all of which failed at the ballot box; the greatest loss was the most recent attempt in 1972, with the final tally being 33,160 (31%) in favor and 73,568 (69%) against the proposed charter.<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Johnson |first=Linda S. |title=Constitutional Change in Local Governance: An Exploration of Institutional Entrepreneurs, Procedural Safeguards, and Selective Incentives |chapter=Consolidation of City and County Governments: Attempts in Five Cities |date=2005 |type=PhD dissertation |publisher=Florida State University |access-date=August 28, 2012 |chapter-url=http://etd.lib.fsu.edu/theses/available/etd-04152005-170723/unrestricted/05_lsj_CHAPTER_4_b.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120034927/http://etd.lib.fsu.edu/theses/available/etd-04152005-170723/unrestricted/05_lsj_CHAPTER_4_b.pdf |archive-date=January 20, 2013}}</ref>

The biggest recent growth in the city was the development of [[New Tampa]], which started in 1988 when the city annexed a mostly rural area of {{cvt|24|sqmi|km2}} between [[Interstate 275 (Florida)|I-275]] and [[Interstate 75 in Florida|I-75]].{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

[[East Tampa]], historically a mostly black community, was the scene of several [[race riot]]s during and for some time after the period of racial segregation, mainly due to problems between residents and the [[Tampa Police Department]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Guzzo |first=Paul |date=June 8, 2017 |title=Racism in Tampa boiled over 50 years ago into Central Avenue riots |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/racism-in-tampa-boiled-over-50-years-ago-into-central-avenue-riots/2326360/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 27, 2021 |work=Tampa Bay Times |publisher=Tampa Publishing Company |language=en |archive-date=March 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210327141515/https://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/racism-in-tampa-boiled-over-50-years-ago-into-central-avenue-riots/2326360/ }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Momodu |first=Samuel |date=December 25, 2020 |title=Tampa Bay Race Riot (1967) |url=https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/tampa-bay-race-riot-1967/ |url-status=live |access-date=March 27, 2021 |website=Blackpast |language=en-US |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126185536/https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/tampa-bay-race-riot-1967/ }}</ref>