History
Map of Area:
Boundaries (in red): South Broad Street to the Schuylkill and Washington Avenue to South Street.
History
“Cedar Street” (1600-1854):
South Street–then called Cedar Street–was once the southernmost boundary of Philadelphia. The area of South Street, between the Delaware and the Schuylkill Rivers, was settled by Swedes and the Dutch in the mid 1600’s. They were followed by waves of Irish, Jews, and Italians settling east of Broad and later African-Americans, west of Broad. In 1854, the areas south of South became part of Philadelphia and Cedar Street became South Street to mark the former city boundary. Despite being considered an undesirable area due to the primarily immigrant, blue collar, and poor occupants, South Street, nonetheless developed a business corridor, and became an established thoroughfare from City Hall south to Bainbridge Street.
Dubois 7th Ward (1800s-1920s):
Durig the Great Migration after the Civil War, a considerable number of African Americans from the south took up residence in Philadelphia, an industrial city with a vast array of employment opportunities.
In his book The Philadelphia Negro, W.E.B. Dubois describes the South Street community as part of the 7th Ward. According to the text, the was population was predominantly African Americans by 1890. He also calls the area “ a curious mingling of respectable working people and some of a better class, with recent immigrations of the semi-criminal class…”
A vast array of significant African-American institutions sprung up in the area during this time. In 1889, they were joined by Graduate Hospital–originally part of the University of Pennsylvania –which was build at 18th and South Street.
Black Renaissance and The Royal Theater (1920s-1940s):
During the Black Renaissance of the 1920s, South Street West became the shining star of Philadelphia’s African-American culture and entertainment. In 1919, the Royal Theater was opened in the 1500 block of South Street. The Royal featured singers, children’s shows, dancing, and the very popular talking movie pictures. Along with the nearby Standard Theater and Pearl Theaters, it attracted nationally reknowned talent like Nicholas Brothers, Pearl Bailey, Bessie Smith, Billy Paul, Fats Waller, and many others.
By the 1930s. the Broad Street subway line had been extended as far south as Snyder Ave, which helped growth. A Philadelphia Inquirer article states “South Street was popular, busy, and interracial.” Though most of the residents were African American, there were a number of Jewish business owners and patrons from a variety of backgrounds.
The Black Republic Club started up around the 1930s. It was later renamed into the South Street West Business Association which it remains today. There was also the South Street Booster Association in the 1930s, which was comprised of business people and other city residents, primarily White.
World War II and the Expressway (1940s-1960s):
After World War II, upwardly mobile Blacks and Whites began to move out of the city to the suburbs. The GI Bill and new home financing supported continuous development outside the city, promoting the exodus.
In the 1950s, an expressway was proposed. City Councilman Victor E. Moore suggested stopping the expressway at Lombard Street or Washington Avenue, which would result in the demolition of homes in the African American community around South Street West of Broad. While many different plans where debated, the threat of an expressway (later called the Crosstown Expressway lingered into the 1970s.
Business owners and community members of all races fought to prevent displacement, and a number of coalitions and committees were formed to fight it. While they were eventually successful in blocking the actual construction of an expressway, the disinvestment and flight it caused devastated the community.
Racial Tensions, Graduate Hospital and Disinvestment (1960s-1980s):
In the mid- 1960s, racial tension and race riots erupted in the South Street West community. June 1967 was a particularly volatile time, after an argument between a young, White storeowner and an older, African American resident caused a disturbance that brought 500 police to the area.
As a result of the racially charged episodes, Cecil B. Moore, president of the North Philadelphia chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) held a rally at 15th and South streets. The business community was hard hit by the continuous picketing and rallies, which lowered sales. The South Street Booster Association—now comprised of both White and Black local businessmen—filed a suit against Moore, alleging that the area had lost 35-90% of its customer business. A local judge ordered Moore to cease all protest activity, but firebombs, gang activity, and further riots continued.
By 1970, racial and civil unrest and the ongoing threat of the development of the Crosstown Expressway had decimated the once thriving community of South Street West. South Street west of 8th Street was lined with vacant stores. Property values had severely decreased. The Royal Theater soon closed its doors due to dwindling attendance and has been boarded up for over 30 years since.
As a result, Graduate Hospital saw an opportunity to expand into the neighborhood. Jim Campbell, an architect and longtime resident who lives and works in the South Street West community, states:
“Graduate had started to buy some properties on the 1700 block of South. Those properties were part of the commercial fabric of that block and we in the neighborhood didn’t want Graduate Hospital to do blockbusting”
To fight back, numerous community organizations banded together to advocate for community input and control in the planning and zoning of the neighborhood. As a result Graduate could not buy up the block. Despite the gentrification that had already occurred by private developers on the smaller streets of Rodman and Naudain, the community’s hard work saved its central corridor on South Street.
In 1975, South Street West became the primary location of the Odunde festival, one of the oldest most successful African American festivals in the country. The festival is held on the second Sunday every June yearly and has drawn positive attention to this part of the city.
Today, South Street neighborhood west of Broad Street is transforming. Freshly renovated buildings and new businesses are replacing vacant storefronts and empty lots. Ms. Jessie Frisby, owner of Jessie’s Dress Shop and president of the South Street West Business Association (SSWBA), states, “I’m excited! I’ve waited 33 years for this to happen.”
