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H T HOLLER X I S FIVE N WINONA S A GUIDE TO KNOXVILLE’S POINTS N Caswell Y CE A FOURTH Park

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DHAM AVE W BAXTER AVE N N E E AFRICAN W OL AV L FIFTH L E E S AV T AVE JR WESTERN LIA AVE G O J A IN BEAUMONT N E K HEIGHTS AG S M S MCCALL R E A E M TH U N HALL OF FAME DR FAME OF N HALL IN L E N AMERICAN S I T E T R AV A AVE D M AR H N A R R BEAUMONT E R B I 275 E VE T A T EMORY A U LI B HERITAGE O M PLACE N AG A M N 1 S W T AVE AVE MAGNOLIA GE This guide highlights several points of interest that RID LOW WAREHOUSE ND IL DA W DISTRICT help explain the heritage of Knoxville’s African- W FIFTH AVE R 2 MIT HILL D Malcolm 5 E SUM MORNINGSIDE American community. Going back to the days when E Martin AV N Park Y G IT AY OLD CITY 11 C S Knoxville became an established river town in the O ER S R LL IV T D E N GE GE U 6 3 LE S S L T E H late 1700’s, the images and descriptions show that O MECHANICSVILLE V A C A L LE L IL ON O XV KS F E Morningside O C S F V African-Americans have been an integral part of A A A Park N E J C M R K E J V W N E R A E R T 4 D AK K L D R R B C IL A D every-day life in the community from the beginning. O H R W T S L A HI ESTERN A S IT G S W ST VE T O OR K M A H IC R AC Y PR IVERSIDE D M S ES R R L U ERVATION D B S T G N K PIKE EOR W MARKET GE ER DR T DEMPST W BROO VE E E SQUARE H A N AV RC E T MIDDLE OR U AV J Y IL CH L A A L M FI 9 E HI R E S E T AVE H S E E W AL N S D W ELEVENTH ST L H

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1 BECK CULTURAL EXCHANGE CENTER 5 THE OLD CITY 9 1927 Dandridge Avenue Jackson Avenue/Central Street intersection 604 S. Gay Street 2 HALEY HERITAGE SQUARE 6 THE GEM THEATRE 10 RICH’S DEPARTMENT STORE 1620 Dandridge Avenue Summit Hill Drive/Central Street intersection ( Conference Center) This map guide, which is not an exhaustive resource, draws from information 3 GREEN SCHOOL 7 BLOUNT MANSION 600 Henley Street obtained from Mr. Robert Booker and the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, (Green Magnet Math & Science Academy) 200 W. Hill Avenue 11 primarily through the mobile tourism application, Knoxville African American 801 Town View Drive 8 BIJOU THEATER 901 Knoxville College Drive Tours of Cultural Heritage, which was developed by the University of Tennessee Community Partnership Center (go to http://isse.utk.edu/cpc/ 4 CAL JOHNSON PARK 803 S. Gay Street beck/ for more information and a link to this free tour guide iphone app). 507 S. Hall of Fame Drive 4 CAL JOHNSON PARK was the fact that the stage and movie screen were located near the played a pivotal role in the segregation of the city’s public 507 S. Hall of Fame Drive front entrance. All theater patrons had to walk in front of the screen facilities and was one of the last venues to open its doors for all Dedicated to one of Knoxville’s to get to their seats, so everyone could see who came and went at the Knoxville residents. Performers such as Cab Calloway and Lionel leading citizens in the late 19th Gem. With the desegregation of downtown movie theaters, the Gem Hampton could entertain in the theatre, but neither could watch Century and early 20th Century, became a night club and restaurant in 1965 and was demolished in a movie there. The theatre was the scene of protests in the early Cal Johnson Park recognizes the 1972 for the expansion of James White Parkway. 1960’s, until the Tennessee fi nally opened its doors in 1963 to all achievements of a successful Knoxville citizens. 7 BLOUNT MANSION businessman, race horse enthusiast, 10 RICH’S DEPARTMENT STORE and real estate investor. Caldonia 200 W. Hill Avenue

Fackler Johnson was born a slave Built between (University of Tennessee Conference Center) in 1844 and lived with his family on 1792 and 600 Henley Street the site of the old Farragut Hotel, at 1796 by the corner of Gay Street and Clinch William Blount, 1 BECK CULTURAL EXCHANGE CENTER Avenue. His interests included Governor of 1927 Dandridge Avenue several saloons frequented by some the Territory Named for James Garfi eld Beck and Ethel Benson Beck, the Beck of Knoxville’s leading men, the city’s only horse race track, and real Southwest of Cultural Exchange Center has served since 1975 as a forum of estate holdings that included several downtown buildings. Johnson the Ohio River, artistic expression and historical perspective for African Americans served as a city alderman from 1883 to 1885 and contributed a house which included in Knoxville and East Tennessee. The Becks were two of the most for the city’s fi rst black YMCA building. The park was established in 1922, present day infl uential members of Knoxville’s black community from the 1920’s and a recreation center was built there in 1957. Johnson died in 1925. Tennessee, Blount Mansion to the 1960’s. The Beck Center is a place that researches, collects, 5 THE OLD CITY preserves, and exhibits African-American achievements and culture. stood out Jackson Avenue/Central Street intersection prominently against Knoxville’s early landscape. The house served as 2 HALEY HERITAGE SQUARE Stretching in four the de facto capitol of the Southwest territory and was the setting of 1620 Dandridge Avenue directions from the drafting of the fi rst Tennessee state constitution. Like most of his Located at the entrance to Morningside the intersection neighbors, Blount owned several slaves and argued that “Negroes are Park, Haley Heritage Square features of Central Street the most valuable property in this country.” Although slaves worked the bronze statue of renowned author, and Jackson the Blount farm, located on or near the University of Tennessee Alex Haley. It is one of the largest Avenue, the campus, it is thought that several slaves lived and worked on the Few people realize that the structure housing the University statues of an African American in the Old City was mansion grounds. As such, these slaves were probably Knoxville’s fi rst of Tennessee Conference Center was the location of Rich’s world. Haley, who is best know for his the center of African-American residents. Department Store, the fi rst location outside the state of Georgia world famous book, Roots: The Saga commerce after for the Atlanta-based retailer. This 1955 example of mid-century 8 BIJOU THEATER of an American Family, lived in the Knoxville was modern commercial architecture was the scene of largely peaceful Knoxville area for several years until his founded in 803 S. Gay Street protests to integrate the store’s dining facilities, which were death in 1992. Noted sculptor, Tina Allen, was commissioned to 1791. With the Built in 1909, the open only to white patrons. In July of 1960, and after several design the statue, which was supported by the State of Tennessee, arrival of trains Bijou began as a demonstrations and sit-ins at other whites-only eating places, Knoxville City Council, and the Knoxville Community Development in the mid 19th Century, loading docks, saloons, warehouses, and venue for high class Rich’s and other Knoxville retailers desegregated their facilities. Corporation. The Alexander Murray Palmer Haley Statue was retail shops sprang up and fl ourished. Also known as “The Bowery”, Vaudeville shows. 11 KNOXVILLE COLLEGE dedicated on April 24, 1998, before a large crowd, that included the area included several bars and clubs and was a place where the Over time, it grew noted actor, Louis Gossett. color line was lightly regarded. The only thing that mattered, for black to be a performing 901 Knoxville College Drive or white, was whether one had enough money to pay for a drink. arts theater, Founded in 1875 by the United Presbyterian Church of North 3 GREEN SCHOOL Early establishments included the Tri-City Barber College, JFG Coff ee attracting such America, Knoxville College is a historically black liberal arts college. (Green Magnet Math and Science Academy) Company, and Sullivan’s. Black businesses included the Palace Grill, the stars as John and The college is rooted in a mission school established in 1864 to 801 Town View Drive (formerly 900 Payne Avenue) Elks Pressing Club, H.W. Keaton’s Barber Shop, Royston Brothers Auto Ethel Barrymore, educate Service, and the Gem Theatre. Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontaine, various stock companies, and later the Knoxville’s Knoxville Symphony and Knoxville Opera Company. Giving way to free blacks 6 THE GEM THEATRE the much larger and newer Tennessee Theatre, the Bijou underwent and freed Summit Hill Drive/Central Street intersection several transformations until it became in the 1930’s the only white slaves and was The city’s premier black movie house, the Gem Theatre, was theater that admitted blacks, although they had to purchase tickets initially located established in 1913 at 102 W. Vine Avenue. After moving to a larger at the Cumberland Avenue entrance and sit in the second balcony. on Gay Street space at 106 E. Vine in the former 9 Avenue in 1922, site of the First TENNESSEE the 800-seat Gem Baptist Church. THEATRE began a long run The school was as a movie house, 604 S. Gay Street designated a college by the State of Tennessee in 1877 and received Built in 1909 and named for local black physician, Dr. Henry Morgan a performance The Tennessee its charter in 1901. In 1957, Knoxville College was among the fi rst Green, the school was initially a primary school. In 1916 the city venue for the likes Theatre, one of group of predominantly black institutions to become members doubled its size to accomodate grades 1 through 11, and it was of blues legend, Ida the South’s grand in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. During the renamed Knoxville Colored High School. After a new Austin High Cox, the Five Royals, movie houses, summer of 1960, students from the college engaged in sit-ins to School was built in 1929 on E. Vine Avenue, the school’s original and the setting for was built in 1928 protest the segregation of lunch counters in , name was restored and it served as both an elementary and junior plays presented by and opened to which resulted in most downtown businesses ending the practice. high school until 1951. A new Green Elementary School building was Knoxville College. a packed house Noted alumni include Dr. Edith Irby Jones, fi rst female president of completed in1957. The school was designated a “magnet school” in An unusual feature of moviegoers. the National Medical Association, and Jake Gaither, legendary Hall of 1993 and occupies the same building site as the original 1909 school. of the Gem Theatre The movie house Fame football coach at Florida A & M University.