The following are short descriptions of the places which have contributed to the shaping of African American history. These encyclopedia entries serve as a starting point for much more inclusive descriptions and discussions that appear in other sources. For additional information please consult the print or website sources cited in the entry.
The Ville is a residential and business district remembered as the cultural center of the African American community in St. Louis, Missouri. The Ville, located just northwest of downtown St. Louis, was open to African Americans during a time that much of the city was … Read MoreThe Ville (St. Louis, MO)
Roslyn, Washington was a coal mining town located at the eastern base of the Cascade Mountains. The first commercial operations in Roslyn were initiated in 1886 by Logan M. Bullet, Vice President of the Northern Pacific Coal Company, (a subsidiary of the Northern Pacific Railroad). … Read MoreRoslyn, Washington (1886- )
The Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York is the most famous performance venue associated with African American entertainers. The New York Theatre that became the Apollo was built in 1913 by Jules Hurtig and Harry Seamon, two burlesque theatre operators and opened as Hurtig and … Read MoreThe Apollo Theatre (1913- )
Established in 1738, Fort Mose was the first free black settlement in what is now the United States. Located just north of St. Augustine, Florida, Fort Mose played an important role in the development of colonial North America. As Great Britain, France, Spain and other … Read MoreFort Mose, Florida (1738-1820)
The Cassey House, Philadelphia Image Courtesy of Janine Black The Cassey House, 243 Delancey Street, formerly 63 Union Street, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was owned by the Cassey family for 84 years and was home to generations of Casseys from 1845 to 1929. The Casseys were … Read MoreThe Cassey House (1845-1929)
Opened in 1923, the Cotton Club on 142nd St & Lenox Ave in the heart of Harlem, New York was operated by white New York gangster Owney Madden. Madden used the Cotton Club as an outlet to sell his “#1 Beer” to the prohibition crowd. … Read MoreCotton Club of Harlem (1923- )
The hallmarks of the “Roaring ‘20s” are legendary in American history: dashing and daring men and women, illegal alcohol, flamboyant entertainers, and the music inspired by the post-war, prohibition era frenzy: jazz. While the hot spots in New York and Los Angeles, California generally garner … Read MoreThe Creole Palace, San Diego, California (1924-1946)
The Black and Tan Club was a leading jazz nightclub located in Seattle, Washington, operating from 1922 until 1966. The nightclub flourished and was known as the most famous nightclub in Seattle at the onset of World War II. It derived its name from the … Read MoreThe Black and Tan Club (1922-1966)
Originally the site of New York City’s first free black settlement, by 1850 the Five Points district in lower Manhattan had instead become infamous for its dance halls, bars, gambling houses, prostitution, and for its mixed-race clientele. To the larger white community, the Five Points … Read MoreFive Points District, New York City, New York (1830s-1860s)
Peyton Colony was a freedmen’s community established in 1865 by Peyton Roberts (c.1820-1888), an ex-slave who migrated to Caldwell County, Texas. Roberts was born enslaved on the William Roberts Plantation in Virginia. Roberts and several families on the Roberts Plantation gained their freedom at the … Read MorePeyton Colony, Texas (1865- )
