Black Entertainment: Chicago's Historic Palm Tavern Restaurant and Music Club

Photo: The Palm Tavern in Chicago's Black metropolis-Bronzeville, cir. 1941

The Palm Tavern was a "must do" performance stop for the Who's Who of Jazz performers. It was located in Chicago Landmark Black Metropolis-Bronzeville District at 446 East 47th Street in Chicago, Illinois from 1931 to 2006.  

THE HISTORY OF THE PALM TAVERN

Established in either 1931 or 1933, the original owner of Palm Tavern was James Knight. Gerri Oliver purchased the Palm Tavern from the original owners in either 1951 or 1956, the later date is reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. Nearby the Palm Tavern was the Regal Theater, the mid-south mecca for Black music performers who passed the word that when playing a Chicago gig at the Regal Theater, Oliver's red beans and rice were not to be missed.

An unbelievable number of musicians performed at this Bronzeville community establishment for more than 75 years. The many names and stories of which are in private photograph and memorabilia collections, such as the Gerri Oliver Collection, Abbott Sengstacke Collection, and Getty Images Collection.

THE BLACK CHICAGO RENAISSANCE AND THE PALM TAVERN 

Historians will often disagree on when a Renaissance begins and ends. The Black Chicago Renaissance occurred around the same times as the Harlem Renaissance, namely in the 1920s and 1930s. Most commentators mark the beginning of the Black Chicago Renaissance as the early 1930s, fueled by the Great Migration of African American Americans from the South.

The Palm Tavern attracted artists from music to writers. The Palm Tavern was home away from home for the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, the Ink Spots, Josephine Baker, and other notable musicians. It was frequented by Richard Wright and Langston Hughes. The famous late poet and writer Gwendolyn Brooks resided in this South Side community.

Photo: Early Palm Tavern postcard

The Palm Tavern was also rest and relaxation place of choice for Chicago's Black middle class. Its era during the Chicago Renaissance is preserved in the priceless collection of sepia photographs and memorabilia enshrined along the walls, as a testament to the history of its service to the community. Gerri Oliver will cheerfully indulge curious customers with aging scrap books. Before purchasing the establishment she served as a waitress for many years at the Palm Tavern.

Photo: Palm Tavern patrons pose for the camera

This historic photo notes the patrons are at the Palm Tavern on April 12, 1939. The night of the inauguration of members of the City Council of Chicago. Beginning left to right: Alderman Earl B. Dickerson, 2nd Ward; Alderman Benjamin A. Grant, 3rd Ward; Kathryn Dickerson and Erma Grant.

THE PALM TAVERN IN RECENT HISTORY

In 1983, Chicago's Palm Tavern hosted the grassroots fundraiser that would result in the election of Chicago's first Black Mayor, Harold Washington. The history of the Palm Tavern did not live on as this blogger notes that the legendary establishment was demolished. According to another blogger, the picture below was the state of the Palm Tavern in the spring of 2006.

Photo: Palm Tavern, cir. spring 2006 with blogger noting that

Gerri Oliver was still operating the business a few years

before this picture was taken.

Photo: Palm Tavern grounds photo cir. October 2006

Anthony Overton: A Black Manufacturer, Banker, Lawyer and Publisher

Photo: Anthony Overton (b. March 21, 1865 - d. July 2, 1946)

On March 21, 1865, Anthony Overton was born into slavery in Monroe, Louisiana. It was not until December 18, 1865 that slavery legally ended in the United States. Overton became a pioneering manufacturer, banker, lawyer and businessman. Much of his business operations arose among the African American community in Chicago.

ANTHONY OVERTON

The son of Anthony and Martha (Deberry) Overton, Anthony Overton was educated at Washburn College and would also graduate from the University of Kansas where he earned a Bachelor of Laws. He graduated from the University of Kansas law school. He practiced law for a time and even served as a judge before concentrating on developing his business operations.

In 1898, Overton established the Hygienic Manufacturing Company in Kansas City. In 1911, he moved operations to Chicago where he manufactured baking powder, toilet preparations, and other extract products. He soon launched the High-Brown Products label where he produced a full-line of ladies fine cosmetics and perfumes in Chicago.

 
OVERTON HYGIENIC BUILDING

Photo: The Overton Building (photograph from Commission on

Chicago Historical and Architectural Landmarks)

Photo: Overton Hygienic Building in Chicago Today

Anthony Overton developed a major business conglomerate in Chicago that began its operations from this Overton Hygienic Building. In 1922, Overton commissioned architect Z. Erol Smith to design and build the Overton Hygienic Building. In addition to hygienic care products, Overton would operate the Chicago Bee newspaper franchise, Victory Life Insurance Company, Douglass National Bank, and Northern Realty Company from this business facility and his second building, The Chicago Bee Building. 

The Overton Hygienic Building was later known in history as the Palace Hotel. The building is now owned by the Mid-South Planning and Development Commission, which announced plans to use the building as an incubator for small businesses within the Black Metropolis-Bronzeville District neighborhood. The Overton Hygienic Building is a Chicago Landmark and part of the historic Bronzeville District in the Douglas community area of Chicago, Illinois. It is located at 3619-3627 State Street.

THE CHICAGO BEE BUILDING

Photo: The Chicago Bee Building

Photo: The Bee Building, now known as The Bee Branch Library

In 1926, The Chicago Bee newspaper publishing business was founded as one of Chicago's African American newspapers. Overton affirmed his confidence in the viability of the Black Metropolis of Bronzeville Chicago by commissioning architect Z. Erol Smith again to design a new three-story building to operate his new newspaper publishing business in a separate facility as his research and development, and manufacturing operations.

The Chicago Bee Building features a richly ornamented facade executed entirely in terra cotta. It was one of the most picturesque of the historic buildings in Bronzeville -- at the time the only one designed in the Art Deco style of the late 1920s.

Photo: Librarian Jo Willis poses in front of the Art Deco doors of the Chicago Bee Building

Although construction started at the beginning of the Great Depression, the building was ready for occupancy by 1931. In addition to the Chicago Bee newspaper, the building would house the offices of the Overton Hygienic Company after the Douglass National Bank closed in 1932. The newspaper closed in the early 1940s. The Anthony Overton Elementary School on Chicago's South Side was later named in honor of this great African-American businessman.