Beginning in the 1930s, African Americans in Florida united music and politics on the "Chitlin' Circuit," a network of bars, clubs, and dance halls that entertainers used to tour the South. While the Circuit ushered numerous stars to fame, including Ray Charles, James Brown, Bo Diddley, and Sam Cooke, it was also a network of "covert" or "safe" social spaces for African Americans living in the segregated South. This exhibit uncovers the Circuit in Florida from 1935 to 1970.
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Rev. C.K. Steele speaking at “Free Bill Johnson” Rally outside of the Red Bird Cafe in Tallahassee
Reverend C.K. Steele speaks at a rally outside of the Red Bird Café in Tallahassee’s Frenchtown neighborhood in 1971. Reverend Steele was an important…