Jacksonville, Florida
The Roosevelt was one of several theaters in LaVilla, the historically African-American neighborhood adjacent to downtown Jacksonville. The other theaters were the Strand, the Frolic, Excelsior Hall, Little Savoy, The Colored Airdome, the Globe, and the Ritz. Opened in 1949, the Roosevelt was located at Read More …
Join Ritz Theatre and Museum and The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens on Monday, January 20, 2020 for a special event in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with free admission for all. Enjoy art-making activities, live Read More …
New York, artist and jazz aficionado Keith Henry Brown was commissioned for this year’s Jazz Festival poster. Brown said he was drawn to LaVilla’s musical history, noting Ray Charles got his start in Jacksonville, playing piano for bands at the Ritz Theatre in LaVilla. Ray Read More …
Ray Charles Robinson, who had attended the Deaf and Blind School in St. Augustine, moved to LaVilla to stay with friends of his mother after she passed. He stayed for just over a year, earning $4 a night. He then moved to Seattle as he Read More …