Riding through LaVilla, the Harlem of the South! 

There is so much history and information lost about the neighborhoods surrounding Jacksonville's downtown. I spent about 2 hours reading about people and their stories as well as the history of LaVilla. You could honestly spend years researching and still have things to learn.
Once an independent city, LaVilla was eventually annexed by Jacksonville in 1887. Prior to The Great Fire in 1901, the neighborhood was a hub for Black culture. The original Ritz Theater was opened in 1929 and was a major stopping point for many Black entertainers such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and a young Ray Charles. From 1929-1960s, The Ritz helped Lavilla maintain its reputation as the "Harlem of the South." LaVilla prospered with the help of The Ritz and other entertainment, industry and commerce, and a sense of unity among the residents.
in 1960, Jacksonville's portion of I-95 was opened for public use. The highway cut through LaVilla and other predominantly Black neighborhoods. According to one urban planner in Jacksonville, Ennis Davis, the construction of I-95 cut through a swath of Jacksonville's Black communities, impacting places like Lavilla and transforming how the city looked at public policy and development. (First Coast News). In addition to the highway, zoning laws and red-lining forced a lot of unwanted business in to the area and halted further development for the Black residents.
We passed by the new Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing Memorial and Park. At the beginning of the 1900s, James Weldon Johnson and his brother wrote the poem and set it to music. The park is going to be used as an educational focal point for the period in Jacksonville history.
I'm posting where I got the information from. Please take the time to do your own research! There is so much information!
www.firstcoast....
www.news4jax.c...
folioweekly.co...
Various Wikipedia searches and sites pertaining to LaVilla and its residents.
‪@velowavebikes‬ has been what I'm riding in all of these videos. Feel free to sponsor me Velowave!