Buildings and Structurers - Historic Places Visited
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Alfred D. Price Funeral Establishment
212 East Leigh Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Inscribed on the Alfred D. Price History Marker (not shown) are the words:
Born into slavery in Hanover County in 1860, Alfred D. “A.D." Price moved to Richmond in the late 1870’s. Soon after coming to Richmond, he set up a Blacksmith shop, which expanded into a livery stable and the funeral home that stands here now known as A.D. Price Funeral Establishment. In August 1894, Price became one of the first funeral directors in Virginia to receive a state embalming license. He served as its president from 1905 until his death on 9 April 1921.
PHOTOS
L: A.D. Price Funeral Establishment. R: Close up Funeral Establishment.
SOURCES
Books
Plater, Michael A. "African American Entrepreneurship in Richmond, 1890-1940." New York: Garland Publishing, 1996. Print.
Site Visit
A.D. Price Funeral Home. Richmond, VA.
Chess Records
2120 S Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60616
312-808-1286
Inscribed on the History Marker are the words:
In 1947, two nightclub businessmen, Leonard and Philip Chess, partnered with Aristocrat Records to start recording some of the artists who had performed at Chess’ various Chicago southside nightclubs. The two brothers unleashed some of the otherwise untapped talent of Chicago’s most famous Blues, Jazz and rock musicians. Prior to the Chess brothers’ involvement in the industry, no one recorded or promoted these performers properly. In 1950, the Chess brothers reorganized the company and renamed it Chess records.
The ‘50s and ‘60’s were the prime years for Chess Records. Artists such as Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Howlin’ Wolf, Etta James, Willie Dixon, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williams and Elmore James flourished under the label or its subsidiary like Checker, Argo, and Cadet. In 1948, Muddy Waters recorded “Rollin’ Stones Blues” here, a song that inspired Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, and the creators of Rolling Stones Magazine. Artists such as the Yardbirds and the Who would craft much of their style and material from recordings made in these studios. The Rolling Stones made the address immortal in an instrumental song entitled 2120 South Michigan, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Louis and Buddy Holly, to name a few, copied sound produced here to catapult their own careers into the stratosphere. They indeed paid homage to the greatness of these musicians who recorded in this studio.
In 1911, Horatio Wilson designed this two-story brick building for the sale and storage of automobile parts. In 1957, John S. Townsend, Jr. and Jack S. Wiener remodeled the building for Chess Records. They outfitted the building with a recording studio, executive offices and 50’s style colors and “snappy” finishes.
Although modest in size and stature, the creativity within the walls of 2120 South Michigan was huge. Undoubtedly Chess Records was the most productive and exciting recording studio in Chicago history. On May 16, 1990 the building was designated a Chicago Landmark.
PHOTOS
Photos of the historic Chess Records Studios.
SOURCES
Site Visit
Chess Records Tour. Chicago, IL.
Edmund Pettus Bridge
Selma, Alabama
Bloody Sunday
On March 7, 1965, more than 600 African Americans were beaten by police, tear gassed and attacked by police dogs while marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama for voting rights and to protest the killing of Jimmie Lee Jackson by Alabama State Police. Alabama Governor George Wallace, prior to the protest, banned the marchers from walking across the bridge.
The march was led by John Lewis, a member of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, (SNCC) and Hosea Williams, a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). As they reached the south end of the bridge, they were stopped by police and ordered to go back across the bridge. The marchers did not move. The police again told them to go back. When the marchers did not obey, police attacked them. Sixteen marchers were injured and hospitalized.
Bloody Sunday was the first of three marches. The second march, led by Dr. Martin Luther King on March 9, ended on the south side of the bridge. They were again met by police and instructed to end the protest. Dr. King and the marchers kneeled and prayed. Afterward, they walked back across the bridge. The third march took place after civil rights leaders sought and received legal protection from Federal District Court Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr. He ordered Governor Wallace to allow the civil rights protest march from Selma to Montgomery.
On March 21, more than 3000 people walked four days for voting rights of African Americans. When they arrived at the State Capitol on March 25, they numbered more than 25,000. At the gathering, Dr. King delivered one of his most memorable speeches, "How Long Not Long." On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Voting Rights Act guaranteeing African Americans the right to vote. Also see Viola Liuzzo.
PHOTOS
Top R:View of bridge on Bloody Sunday, public domain. L: South view of bridge.
Bottom: Sign in front of the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
SOURCES
Books
Appiah, Kwame, Anthony and Gates, Henry Louis, ed. "Africana The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience." 1st ed. New York: Civitas, 1999. Print.
Branch, Taylor. "At Canaan's Edge, America in the King Years 1965-68." New York: Simon and Schuster, 2006. Print.
Rubel, David. "The Coming Free: The Struggle for African-American Equality." New York: DK Publishing, 2005. Print.
Internet
"Jimmie Lee Jackson - Notice to file" justice.gov, https://www.justice.gov/crt/case-document/jimmie-lee-jackson-notice-close-file. Web.
"Martin Luther King and - Jackson, Jimmie Lee (1938-1965)." https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/jackson-jimmie-lee. Web.
Magazines
“Civil Rights Face Off at Selma - The Savage Season Begins.” Life Magazine, 19 Mar. 1965: 30-37. Print.
Site Visits
Edmund Pettus Bridge. Selma, AL.
Selma 50th Anniversary Jubilee
On March 7, 1965, more than 600 African Americans were beaten by police, tear gassed and attacked by police dogs while marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama for voting rights and to protest the killing of Jimmie Lee Jackson. Alabama Governor George Wallace, prior to the protest, banned the marchers from walking across the bridge.
On March 7 and 8, 2015, Selma commemorated Bloody Sunday and the August 6, 1965, signing of the Voting Rights Act. Also see Viola Liuzzo.
PHOTOS
Top L: Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church. R: Brick incased church display, memorials and church sanctuary.
Second L: Dr. King memorial in front of Brown Chapel. R: Civil Rights Freedom Wall.
Third L: Inside Brown Chapel. R: 50 Anniversary Bloody Sunday March (March 8, 2015).
Fourth and Fifth: 50 Anniversary Bloody Sunday March (March 8, 2015).
Bottom L, R: History marker.
SOURCES
Books
Appiah, Kwame, Anthony and Gates, Henry Louis, ed. "Africana The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience." 1st ed. New York: Civitas, 1999. Print.
Branch, Taylor. "At Canaan's Edge, America in the King Years 1965-68." New York: Simon and Schuster, 2006. Print.
Rubel, David. "The Coming Free: The Struggle for African-American Equality." New York: DK Publishing, 2005. Print.
Internet
"March from Selma to Montgomery, Bloody Sunday, archives.gov, https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/eyewitness/html.php?section=2. Web.
Magazines
“Civil Rights Face Off at Selma - The Savage Season Begins.” Life Magazine, 19 Mar. 1965: 30-37. Print.
Site Visits
Edmund Pettus Bridge. Selma, AL.
Dallas County Courthouse
Selma, AL
On February 15, 1965, Reverend C.T. Vivian and scores of local African Americans attempted to register to vote at the Dallas County Courthouse in Selma, AL. Sheriff Jim Clark, a devout segregationist accompanied by a team of deputies, blocked the courthouse entrance. Vivian appealed to Clark's sense of fairness. Clark responded by striking Vivian in the face with a billy club. Deputies pushed people away from the courthouse and forced cameramen to stop recording.
Two days later, after addressing a meeting at Zion Chapel Methodist Church in Marion, AL. Reverend C.T. Vivian joined the night march from the church to nearby city jail. Marion’s police chief announced over a loudspeaker that everyone is to go home or back to the church. Seconds later, streetlights went out and police began beating marchers with clubs. Twenty-six-year-old army veteran Jimmie Lee Jackson located his eighty-two-year-old grandfather Cager Lee lying in the street. He was beaten and bleeding. Jimmie Lee gathered his grandfather and his grandmother Viola Jackson, rushed them to Mack’s Café where troopers followed them. One of the troopers hit Ms. Jackson and knocked her to the floor. Jimmie Lee sprang to her defense. A trooper hit him in the face and shot him in the stomach at close range. Jimmie Lee Jackson died February 26, 1965.
Twenty days later, marchers led by John Lewis and Hosea Williams were beaten by local and state police at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL. Also see Viola Liuzzo and Edmund Pettus Bridge.
PHOTO
Dallas County Courthouse. Video: The Fight for the Right to Vote - Never Forget.
SOURCES
Books
Appiah, Kwame, Anthony and Gates, Henry Louis, ed. "Africana The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience." 1st ed. New York: Civitas, 1999. Print.
Branch, Taylor. "At Canaan's Edge, America in the King Years 1965-68." New York: Simon and Schuster, 2006. Print.
Rubel, David. "The Coming Free: The Struggle for African-American Equality." New York: DK Publishing, 2005. Print.
Internet
Margalit Fox. "Jim Clark Dies at 84" nbcnews.com, https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna1907532. Web.
"Eyes on the Prize I Interviews." digital.wustl.edu, http://digital.wustl.edu/e/eop/eopweb/cla0015.0490.021sheriffjamesclark.html. Web.
Magazines
“Civil Rights Face Off at Selma - The Savage Season Begins.” Life Magazine, 19 Mar. 1965: 30-37. Print.
Site Visits
Dallas County Courthouse. Selma, AL.