Macon in Bibb County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Douglass Theatre
Historic Macon Music Registry
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 20, 2021
1. Douglass Theatre Marker
Historic Black
Performance
Venue
Erected by The Charles Cox Family Trust.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Architecture • Entertainment • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Georgia, Historic Macon Music Registry series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1921.
Location. 32° 50.123′ N, 83° 37.539′ W. Marker is in Macon, Georgia, in Bibb County. Marker is at the intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard (U.S. 80) and Mulberry Street Lane, on the right when traveling south on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 355 Martin Luther King, Jr Blvd, Macon GA 31201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Tic Toc (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); 408 Broadway (about 400 feet away); Freemasonry in Macon (about 400 feet away); Macon History (about 400 feet away); William Arthur Fickling, Sr. (about 400 feet away); First Public Camellia Show (about 500 feet away); Post 3 Macon (about 500 feet away); William Augustus Bootle (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Macon.
Regarding Douglass Theatre.
this page online
Founded by Charles Douglass, Macon’s first African American millionaire, the Douglass Theatre served as a cornerstone performance venue for African Americans. It began in 1921 as a movie theater and performance hall and hosted jazz and blues greats including Ma Rainey, Ida Cox, Bessie Smith, and Cab Calloway, and Duke Ellington. Later, a young James Brown would perform here. It was also on the Douglass stage that local WIBB DJ Hamp Swain hosted The Teenage Party, a live talent show broadcast, that introduced the musical gifts of a then-unknown Otis Redding.
Also see . . .
1. History. Biographical sketch of Charles Douglass and a history of the venue, from silent movies to rebirth after a 25-year closure. (Douglass Theatre) (Submitted on November 25, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
2. The Blues, Black Vaudeville, and the Silver Screen, 1912-1930s: Selections from the Records of Macon. Digital Library of Georgia collection on the historic venue, including advertisements and personal letters of founder Charles Douglass. (Submitted on November 25, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
3. Charles Henry Douglass. Wikipedia entry on the self-made millionaire. (Submitted on November 25, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Photographed By Greggory / GRB Creative, January 28, 2023
2. Douglass Theatre and Marker
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, November 20, 2021
3. Douglass Theatre
Unknown / Public domain, circa 1919
4. Charles Henry Douglass (1870-1940)
From The National Cyclopedia of the Colored Race by Clement Richardson (1919).
Credits. This page was last revised on May 19, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 25, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 298 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 25, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on May 15, 2023, by Greggory Schwartz of Central, Florida. 3, 4. submitted on November 25, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
