Church Park Auditorium

Established in 1899, Church's park and auditorium was the only such facility in the United States owned entirely by a black man and conducted in the interest of black people. Standard admission to the auditorium was 15¢, seating capacity was 2200, and Robert Church took a personal hand in management of the facility. Overflow crowds came to see leading entertainers and politicians including W.C. Handy, the Black Patti Troubadours, the Whitney Musical Company, Dr. Booker T. Washington, President Theodore Roosevelt, and early leaders of the Lincoln Republican League and the NAACP. The gateway overhead is reminiscent of the auditorium, and the large lawn area to the south is circumscribed by eight columns, conveying the grand scale and setting of the original auditorium.

Memphis, Tennessee · United States