black joy.
by DESIGN
Welcome to The Citrus Table
The Citrus Table is a cultural house devoted to Black memory, storytelling, and community life. Rooted in the spirit of the coastal South and the rich histories of Florida and beyond, this is a place where reading, writing, research, and celebration meet. Here, we gather around books, preserve stories, explore heritage, and honor the everyday brilliance of Black life.
At The Citrus Table you will find curated reading tables, original writing projects, cultural programming, archival storytelling, and practical services designed to support museums, historic homes, and cultural organizations that protect and share our history. This is a working table — a place where ideas are developed, stories are written, and culture is actively preserved.
Whether you are here to read with us, write with us, celebrate with us, or partner with us in preserving Black history, you are welcome.
Come on in.
chile We’re Readin’ Join Us
Our mission is to gather, preserve, and celebrate the living beauty of Black memory, culture, and everyday joy. Rooted in the warmth of Southern hospitality and the brightness of Florida citrus groves, The Citrus Table invites people to slow down, pull up a chair, and experience stories that nourish the spirit. Here, deep-belly laughter rises freely, the soul of the food meets the richness of the soil, and the memories held in old walls remind us who we are.
We believe our history lives not only in archives, but in the everyday places where life unfolds — on porches where love and lies are told in equal measure, in front yards where boots meet the ground, in kitchens filled with the scent and soul of the food, and in the hymns that carried generations forward through difficult times.
Through storytelling, scholarship, gathering, and cultural work, The Citrus Table honors the depth, resilience, and triumphs of Black life. We celebrate a people who have always transformed hardship into brilliance. Here, heritage and imagination meet, laughter and legacy live side by side, and we continue the work our ancestors began — as keepers of memory, builders of culture, and above all, architects of joy.
Writing Project 01
In the coastal town of Sweet Orange, Florida, 1924 marks the opening of a Black-run post office—an anchor for a community rich in memory, movement, and quiet knowing. This collective work invites each writer to contribute a standalone story set within this world—capturing a moment, a voice, or a lived experience connected to the town, its people, and the exchange of letters, goods, and news. From front porches to post office counters, from whispered gossip to personal revelations, each piece stands on its own while adding depth to the shared landscape of Sweet Orange and The Citrus Table.
Writing Project 02
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the train carries more than passengers—it carries presence. Well-dressed travelers step off into cities and stops along the way, moving with style, intention, and quiet confidence. In these imagined places, inspired by the richness of Black life in the North, moments unfold across refined spaces—from the hum of a jazz club to the stillness of a train platform, the quiet elegance of a hotel, the rhythm of a street or shop, or the arrival at a Black college filled with promise.
This collection invites writers to create original fictional stories set along this journey—where movement, elegance, and everyday life meet. Each story stands alone, capturing a moment, a place, and a life in motion.
Writing Project 03
A collected series of short, lived reflections on Black life in present-day America—written from the perspectives of Black Americans — capturing what we’re witnessing as it unfolds, what we understand, and how we continue to move with clarity and intention. Each piece holds a moment, grounded in lived experience, reflecting both observation and response —exploring how we navigate shifting realities while holding onto joy—not as escape, but as resistance—and building forward in ways that are our own.
A living reflection of this moment.
OUR STORY
The Citrus Table was born from quiet, sacred moments—tracing my family’s history and uncovering both the triumphs and truths rooted deep in the soil of Florida and across this nation. In that process, I came to see the depth of Black contribution, resilience, and joy as something living, something rooted, something ours to keep. Along the way, there were quiet revelations—coffee and long conversations with my father—that added depth to what I was beginning to understand: that Black contribution, resilience, and joy are not distant ideas, but living legacies that belong to us.
The Citrus Table is my offering—a space to preserve, research, and remember, where our stories are honored and our history is held with care. As a mother to a son, this work is also about creating a safe haven for us and for generations to come—a place where what was built, sacrificed, and carried forward is never forgotten. To all who visit, explore, and contribute—you are welcome here—you are family. Because we are not separate from the story—we are the soil, the keepsakes of America.
About the Founder
Angel Latson is the founder of The Citrus Table, a cultural platform dedicated to preserving memory, celebrating Black community life, and bringing history into everyday spaces. Through storytelling, archival exploration, and community programming, she creates welcoming ways for people to connect with the past.
Angel is an author, historian, and storyteller whose work highlights the beauty of Black Southern history, particularly the communities and traditions rooted in Florida. Her projects center the voices, places, and everyday moments that shape collective memory.
Through The Citrus Table, Angel is building a living archive and gathering place—inviting people to come in, take a seat at the table, and share in the joy of remembering, reading, and celebrating together.