The Howard Theatre reclaims its role as the cornerstone of Black Broadway
The Howard Theatre in 1910, thehowardtheatre.com
The Washington Post, published in 1985, an article discussing the history and significance of the Howard Theatre in Washington D.C. With the Biggest Open Gem Ever 2 slated for April 21st at the Historic Theatre we’ve been researching the cultural importance of the venue. We scoured the internet, spoke with our elders, and even current management at the theatre and learned alot. The Howard Theatre was built in 1910 as a vaudeville theater and became one of the most important venues for African American performers during the segregation era. The fabled U St Corridor would later be known as Black Broadway with The Howard Theatre and Bohemian Caverns giving African Americans a place for creativity to be displayed and consumed. In the early days of the Howard Theatre the performers who graced its stage, included Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald to name a few.
The Howard Theatre was instrumental in the development of jazz, providing a platform for emerging African American artists to showcase their talents. Despite the racial segregation of the era, the theater broke down color barriers and brought people together to appreciate the music. As jazz evolved and new talents emerged, the Howard Theatre remained a vital venue for African American performers to showcase their skills and connect with audiences.
“Along with New York's Apollo (which opened a few years later), the Howard provides an excellent vantage point from which to track the cultural evolution of black America. From European-style entertainments in the 1910s and vaudeville shows in the '20s, the Noble and Sisle musicals of the late '20s, the classy big bands of Ellington, Hampton, Basie, Lunceford and Calloway in the '30s, the bebop explosion in the '40s, to the rhythm and blues of the '50s and Stax/Motown soul in the '60s, what took place on the stage at the Howard had an immense impact on the cultural life of Washington.”
The Howard Theatre Today, thehowardtheatre.com
The Howard Theatre declined in the 1960s and 1970s, when it was turned into a movie theater and then fell into disrepair. The Howard Theatre was eventually rescued and restored in the 1980s. Today the Theatre has returned to its previous glory with an expanded audience bring people of all walks of life to the Historic theatre. Present day acts to grace the stage include everyone from Nipsey Hussle and Curren$y to Ari Lennox and Glorilla.The cultural importance of the Howard Theatre and its significance as a symbol of African American history and achievement in Washington D.C. can not be denied.