A Conversation with my Daddy by Regan

My Father is a 70 year-old native Washingtonian.

Washington DC was a segregated city until 1954.

My Father fondly reflected on the following theaters, which, during a segregated Washington, DC, showed first run, top tiered movies to African-Americans, at that time referred to as Negroes:

•    The Lincoln
•    The Republic
•    The Booker T

The above mentioned movie theaters were the only theaters that showed top movies to African Americans.  Other movie theaters that were for Blacks showed 2nd rate movies.

Across the street from the Booker T was the Jarvis Funeral Home.  The Jarvis Funeral Home was the largest Funeral Home that served Blacks.  The Jarvis Funeral Home was located on U Street between 14th and 15th Streets.

14th Street was a Black community that had a lot of "Beer Gardens" and "Bars and Grills".  Used Car Lots, small clothing stores and small restaurants prevailed.

Circa 1948 one of the largest Juke Joints was called The Spa.  It was located on 14th Street near the intersection of U Street.  My Father referred to The Spa as "like a rites of passage for a man….when you got old  enough..you had to go to The Spa.."

After the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. riots broke out in Washington, D.C. and everything was burned to the ground.