Exploration Portal

Jazz as a social phenomenon has provided the space for a flourishing “underground” scene. In this context, the term “underground” is meant to represent anyone who identifies as LGBTQIA+ or is a person of color. These people have become buried in Akron history and it is the desire of this project to reveal and expand upon these crucial identities. 

In 1945, with U.S. victory in World War II only months away, Duke Ellington was at the height of his career... so high that the U.S. Department of Treasury asks him personally to start promoting war bonds as the fighting reigns westward on the Pacific Front.

We are hoping to find further information on the Cosmopolitan nightclub and the surrounding community. We are also looking into any records and or reports we may be able to find concerning the trend of largely unjust and racially motivated raids carried out on African American clubs during this time. 

Howard St's LGBTQ+ History 

Duke Ellington War Bond Tour

Branching Out From the Cosmopolitan