The West End Theatre disappeared after its owner, Pink Anderson, passed away in 1927, but the African-American community was not left without a film venue. The Dunbar Theatre in Freedman was open from at least 1927, possibly earlier, until it burned down in 1934. Slightly more information made it into the newspapers and trade periodicals about the Dunbar, although we are still left with an incomplete glimpse and few details . . .

Freedman

The Freedman community appears to be the older of the two African-American communities in Lenoir, being mentioned in papers as early as 1878:

Brief Topics. . . . The colored people of Freedmen [sic] will have a festival and Christmas tree, at Smith's chapel next Tuesday night. The public are invited. (Lenoir Topic 12/21/1878, p. 1)

Freedman is located on the northern end of town, as seen on this map which also shows the rough boundaries of West End and downtown Lenoir:

Freedman was the site of an early magic lantern show in 1885, surely one of the earliest segregated shows of its type in the region:

LOCAL NEWS. . . . The Freedmanites were treated to a magic lantern show Saturday night, under the auspices of their presiding elder. (Lenoir Topic 6/3/1885, p. 3)

Just two years later, a similar slide show was given by a lecturer from out of town:

LOCAL NEWS. . . . Rev. W. Walker, of the colored M.E. Church, requests us to state that his district conference will meet in Freedman, on the 12th of May, and that Rev. W.L. Davidson, the general S.S. Superintendent, will be present and delive[r] a lecture on Saturd[a]y and will show "100 different sceneries, the greatest ever seen in our country." Admission 10 cents. (Lenoir Topic 5/11/1887, p. 3)

None of the early theaters in Lenoir mention a policy about black audiences, but it appears likely that they were white only. The one venue that might have been available to all races would have been the courthouse, which typically sat African Americans in the balcony. A reference from a good bit later shows that it was not unusual to arrange segregated seating for shows in the courthouse:

Legion Auxiliary To Sponsor Show Here Saturday Night

The American Legion Auxiliary will sponsor the Rangers, who are heard daily over WBT, Charlotte, in a musical program at the Court House Saturday night at 8:15 o'clock. The program will consist of musical numbers both religious and otherwise. The balcony will be reserved for colored folks. The admission will be 15 and 25 cents. (Lenoir News Topic 6/16/1939, p. 3)

Since films were occasionally shown in the courthouse, it might have been possible that mixed audiences viewed them. Otherwise, unadvertised showings in black churches or traveling tent shows might have occurred or, of course, Freedman residents might have travelled to nearby towns with larger black communities like Salisbury, Hickory and Morganton, as in this reference:

Colored Folk News . . . Mr. and Mrs. Matt Shade and Miss Henderson motored to Morganton Monday night to attend the movies. (Lenoir News Topic 3/3/1932, p. 5)

Certainly the cinematic options for African-American audiences were severely limited in the segregated South, yet there were clearly a few options before the larger white theaters with balconies made it to town.

The Dunbar Theatre

There are three mentions in the trade press of 1927 about a black theater in Lenoir. The first states that it changed ownership in May:

South East . . . E. Propst, owner of the Dunbar Theatre, Lenoir, N.C., was in Charlotte recently, and stated that he had sold this theatre to N.L. Dickson. (Motion Picture News 5/6/1927, p. 1690 )

There are several members of the Propst family active in Freedman during the period, but the exact identity of "E. Propst" has not been determined at this time, nor of Mr. Dickson. How long the theater had been operated by Propst is not mentioned, but perhaps the void left by the closing of the West End Theatre that year created a need for another black venue in town. The second reference from this year simply notes the existence of the theater (The Film Daily 5/19/1927, p. 8), while the third adds a seating capacity of 200 (Film Year Book 1927, p. 597).

The Sanborn fire insurance map locates the Dunbar in Freedman, in the same building with other businesses. The following closeup map, re-drawn from the 1927 Sanborn map and other period sources, shows the (white) Belleview Cemetery, several black churches, and the Dunbar Theatre, which is located on the original map with the word "MOVIES":

The location of a black section of town so close to a large cemetery did not escape condescending notice in the local press:

Has It Lost Its Power?

Freedman--and nearly every town in the South has a colored section by that name--borders on the city cemetery, and in that part of town are hundreds of colored families. Yet they evince little fear of graveyards, where ghosts are supposed to haunt, ride at night, sing beautiful songs and otherwise disturb the stillness and quiet of cemetery neighborhoods. But the colored folk, apparently, are not unnerved at the situation.

Every night, hundreds of colored people pass by the silent portals which guard Belleview cemetery. They may nurture a well-planted fear that something will happen, yet we never hear of colored persons running from imaginable ghosts. Have graveyards lost their mysterious after-sun-down effect? . . . (Lenoir News Topic 10/29/1931, p. 4)

Like the focus on alcohol and violence, racial stereotypes like this are common in the press, yet there appeared to be relatively little mob violence towards blacks in Caldwell County. Increasingly, church events in Freedman were reported on in the News Topic, as well as the move towards better schools and the creation of the county's first black high school in 1932 (Lenoir News Topic 10/03/1932, p. 1). There is one tantalizing notice of a live event at the theater in 1931:

MIRROR OF CALDWELL COUNTY / Reflections of Views and Happenings As Gathered From Neighbors and Visitors / By CHARLES PEGRAM . . . A contest at the Dunbar theatre, colored showhouse, recently revealed that the best colored dancers in Lenoir are Reba Suddreth, Bernice Hayes, Marie Hayes, Mary Miller, Richard Horton and Kent Horton. "The way those folks could shuffle those feet was something else," is the way the contest was described. (Lenoir News Topic 1/22/1931, p. 2)

Another change in ownership occurred in the same year, when a B.F. Snyder purchased the Dunbar from a pair of business people by the names of Cauble and Cook (The Film Daily 7/26/1931, p. 9). No notice of their ownership tenure has yet been found, nor any further reference to the Dixon who had previously purchased the theater in 1927. Snyder apparently had high aspirations for the venue, installing sound later that year:

DUNBAR THEATER TO OPEN SOON

The Dunbar theater in Freedman will open soon with its new sound equipment, it was announced today. The colored theater, which has a large patronage, will afford for the first time the advantage of sound pictures for the colored residents of Lenoir. (Lenoir News Topic 9/28/1931, p. 1)

The Dunbar is also listed in the Film Daily Year Book for 1931 (p. 780) as a 200-seat venue.

The final reference to the theater is a lengthy account of its destruction by fire, along with surrounding businesses:

Fire Destroys Large Building In Negro Sector / Between $2,000 And $3,000 Lost In Blaze Which Occurred In Freedman Tuesday / WAS REPORTED AT 2 A.M. / Cafe, Picture Show And Dance Hall Burn; Flames Threaten Propst's Home / NEGRO NEARLY CAUGHT

A cafe picture show and dance hall in Freedman, colored section of Lenoir, were destroyed by fire shortly after 2 o'clock Tuesday morning and one occupant of the building, David Bost, colored, narrowly escaped with his life.

Bost was sleeping in a rear section of the unused picture show for colored persons when flames threatened to cut off his only escape. He was uninjured, however.

Flames had made much headway before firemen received the alarm, which was brought by colored persons in an automobile. The fire apparently had been in progress for 15 or more minutes before it was discovered, and the wooden buildings quickly were a mas[s] of ruins.

Alertness on the part of firemen prevented serious damage to the home of Steve Propst, colored, which adjoined the buildings. Propst was owner of the cafe, while his brother, John Propst, owned the picture show and dance hall.

Firemen battled the blaze for nearly two hours before returning their equipment to the fire station. It is estimated the loss was in the neighborhood of $2,000 to $3,000, with some insurance.

Persons awakened by the blasts of the fire horn could see the sky reddened by flames. One physicians, making a call at night, reported seeing the fire for a distance of eight miles.

At no time in the history of Freedman has there been such a serious conflagration, it is said. (Lenoir News Topic 5/31/1934, p. 1)

The comment that the theater was "unused" at that time indicates that perhaps, by 1934, few motion picture shows were being held there. The most likely reason would have been the opening of a large theater in Lenoir that catered--however grudgingly--to black patrons: the Avon.

The Segregated Avon Theatre

Opened in 1934, the Avon Theatre on North Main Street set a new standard in film exhibition in Lenoir (a complete account of the Avon is forthcoming on another page). It was planned as a large theater seating around 800, with a balcony and separate entrance for black customers: "Construction will begin Monday on a $65,000 modern theatre for Lenoir, and completion is expected within 90 days. . . .The theatre will be known as the 'Avon' and will be managed by Mr. Hanks. It will face Main Street and seat between 700 and 800 people with accommodation for colored people, and separate entrance." (Lenoir News Topic 11/9/1933, p. 1)

No doubt the West End and Dunbar Theatres were novel entertainment in their day, but the quality of their films and equipment would have been no match for a large, modern, and expensive theater in town like the Avon. Yet attending a white theater came at a cost: typically, there were separate entrances, separate sections of the balcony to sit in, separate concessions and restrooms (if they existed at all). The attitude of white owners towards their paying black customers can be seen in the following notice:

THEATRE CROWD FLEES BUILDING / But There Wasn't Any Fire, Manager Hanks Says, Setting Damage at "10 Cents" / MAD SCRAMBLE ON STEPS

Panic-stricken negroes in the colored gallery of Avon Theatre at 9:45 o'clock Wednesday night scrambled down the outside stairway, and white patrons who went to see "The Woman in Red" hurriedly left the building when someone hollered "Fire!" when carbon points burned together in the operating room.

Manager Floyd Hanks said the damage "amounted to about ten cents." There was no cause for someone's sending in a fire alarm, he stated, and when the firemen arrived they found the situation was attended to by theatre employees.

After the excitement, patrons returned to the theatre and saw the picture.

No one was hurt in the mad scramble of negroes in their flight from the gallery, although one or two were knocked down by the surging crowd, it is reported. (Lenoir News Topic 6/21/1935, p. 5)

Fires in theaters were a very real concern during the period, including several notoriously deadly fires in other parts of the country, so a certain amount of panic was understandable, especially from patrons isolated in a balcony with a single exit. Fortunately, no one was hurt, although one senses that the manager is downplaying the incident to avoid loss of future revenue.

Live Shows

Like the overall venue itself, the films at the Avon were clearly oriented towards a mainstream white audience. Many of these films would have been enjoyable regardless of the background of the viewer, although when race was treated in classic Hollywood films of the 1930s it was often in broad, stereotypical brushstrokes. However, there were occasional live shows at the Avon that featured black talent exclusively--and note the mixing of races on stage was as prohibited in the South as the mixing of races in the audience.

Local black performers were featured in November 1934:

COLORED QUARTET WILL APPEAR AT AVON THURS.

A local colored quartet, composed of Robert Shade, James Harper, Marshall Hood and Lelord Gaither, will appear on the stage at the Avon Theatre Thursday only, according to announcement by Manager F.C. Hanks. These singers are known in this section as among the best. Their harmony has attracted many people to gatherings, and their program is always an interesting part of any entertainment. (Lenoir News Topic 11/13/1934, p. 7)

The film that night was "Young and Beautiful," the last of the WAMPAS (Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers) "baby stars" shows featuring young (white) Hollywood starlets. The feature was accompanied by unnamed comedies. Clearly the quartet was featured for their musical ability and the fact that they were local, but there was no racial theme for that particular night.

An entire African-American stage show was booked at the Avon in December of 1936, with provocative title (and graphics):

Such shows are frequently connected to Harlem, arguably the most famous black community of all, and many times feature jazz and female performers. Accompanying press notices emphasize the connection with New York and the earlier (although unrelated) hit, "Shuffle Along":

STAGE SHOW WILL FEATURE WEEK AT THE AVON THEATRE

This world famous fast moving musical revue comes to the Avon theatre Saturday for 3 shows with a galaxy of colored stars direct from Harlem and is staged in the brilliant and elaborate settings which characterized its original advent. Several rated it fourth place in New York's revues.

Irvin C. Miller, who personally produced the show, has the distinction of being the most consistent producer of quality colored revues. Miller's 1936 edition carries 41 artists including such well known performers as Aldo Oates, the Harlem Mae West, Blanch Thompson, late of Messrs. Lee and J.J. Shuberts "Artists and Models," Brown Bros., famous dance team just off the RKO circuit. Marcus Hall ... the California Baritone, Clarence Moore Harlem's best Violin[i]st also headlined as one of the most unusual and astonishing acts in Vaudeville, and the only crutch dancer known.

"Brown Skin Models" closely followed that famous hit, "Shuffle Along" and has had many years of popularity on the road. Those who attended the revue last year at Avon theatre know the high standard maintained by this colorful and entertaining show. (Lenoir News Topic 12/8/1936, p. 5)

The following year, a similar show appeared, with the unwieldy title of "Bronze Manikins in Jazznocracy." This show featured Vivian Henderson and an orchestra of women:

Mr. Hanks, manager of the Avon, hinted at the attractions of such a show for his majority white patrons:

AVON THEATRE PRESENTS STAGE SHOW WEDNESDAY . . . This troup is composed of dusky sons and daughters from the hot-spots of Harlem. This is considered one of the best colored troups on the road, Manager Hanks stated, and will offer the public an hours entertainment of torch singing, spirituals and dancing as only negroes can sing and dance them. . . . (Lenoir News Topic 12/14/1937, p. 6)

Certainly such shows would have given local audiences a taste of more modern, urban black entertainment, far removed from the typical fare of amateur white minstrel shows. A final show in 1942 featured the blues singer Ida Cox and her famous Darktown Scandals:

The advertising here is a bit reminiscent of the blackface minstrel tradition, but Cox would have to be one of the most famous performers to grace a Lenoir stage in the era.

After the Avon, the next large theater built in Lenoir would be the Center Theatre, which opened in 1941. It also had a separate black entrance and balcony section (more on the Center in a future article). The Center featured the occasional "all-colored cast" film, but no live shows with black performers have yet been found--the Center focused primarily on mainstream white and country music for the occasional live program. For the other theaters in Caldwell County, including the drive-ins, little information is given in the newspapers about whether or not segregated audiences were accommodated or not. In many parts of the country, even drive-in theaters had segregated entrances and parking areas; as usual, separate but hardly equal. More work needs to be done before this aspect of Lenoir's cinematic history can be fully brought to light.

Dr. Gary R. Boye

Music Librarian and Professor

Appalachian State University

boyegr@appstate.edu