Rhythms of the Blue Ridge: Historic African American Entertainment Venues of Western Maryland

Abstract

Throughout the twentieth century, musical innovations such as the blues, jazz, and rock n’ roll were being fostered on the edges of cities and towns in African American communities, separated from white society by racially restrictive housing and zoning policies. Within these communities, entertainment venues catering to a Black clientele were established by influential Black entrepreneurs. These spaces became the landscape of the Chitlin’ Circuit– an unofficial network of establishments that were safe for traveling Black artists and patrons alike. Because Maryland is uniquely situated between major influences of the African American entertainment business in Washington, DC, and New York City, the state became a geographic and cultural crossroads for Black culture. Even as Jim Crow-era segregation took hold throughout the United States, Maryland became simultaneously a place of great racial strife and respite. This study identifies and contextualizes the African American entertainment venues of Western Maryland– a region that, despite having the lowest Black population in the state during the period of interest (1900-1960), still fostered vibrant Black communities and cultural traditions.