Chitlin' Circuit History
With iconic songs like (Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay, this artist is one of many who began their career on the Chitlin' Circuit.
Who is Otis Redding?
The explosion of African American music, art, and dance in 1920s New York—which paved the way for the venues that eventually made up the Chitlin' Circuit—is known by this two-word term.
What is the Harlem Renaissance?
This D.C.-born jazz legend began his career performing around U Street and later became famous for compositions such as "Take the 'A' Train."
Who is Duke Ellington?
This synchronized social dance style became an important part of Black Southern and Texas dance tradition.
What is line dancing?
This artist is the originator of the 1-2 step.
Who is Ciara?
The Chitlin’ Circuit gets its name from this traditional Southern food, made from pig intestines.
What are chitlins (chitterlings)?
This legendary 125th Street theater was the crown jewel of the Chitlin' Circuit, famous for its Amateur Night where you definitely didn't want the crowd to boo you off stage.
What is the Apollo Theater?
This American guitarist, bandleader, and singer was known as "The Godfather of Go-Go".
Who is Chuck Brown?
This Houston musical style slows down songs, repeats selected sections, and creates a hypnotic, heavy sound.
What is chopped and screwed?
This Atlanta dance is characterized by its upbeat tempo and synchronized dance steps.
What is Yeeking?
Before the Chitlin’ Circuit emerged, this form of theatrical entertainment, featuring a variety of acts including comedy, music, and dance, provided an important foundation for Black touring performers.
What is vaudeville?
This legendary "Godfather of Soul" tore up the Chitlin' Circuit for decades, and his famous "Woo! Yeah!" vocal sample is actually the backbone of our song, "It Takes Two."
Who is James Brown?
Located in Northwest Washington, D.C. this is a historic cultural hub known as "Black Broadway".
What is U Street?
Houston performers such as Big Mama Thornton helped bring the city's Black blues and R&B traditions to national audiences, contributing to the musical foundation of this emerging 1950s genre.
What is rock-and-roll?
During the Jim Crow era, this “sexual healing” singer was one of the most prominent performers at the royal peacock.
Who is Marvin Gaye?
This vaudeville entertainer established one of the earliest systematic touring networks for African American performers by buying venues and organizing acts starting around 1911
Who is Sherman Dudley?
This culturally rich neighborhood in East Harlem was predominantly home to German and Italian immigrant families and experienced a huge migration of Puertorican families after WWII and became a cultural capital for puertorican life in the US.
What is El Barrio?
During a 1962 Motown tour at D.C.'s Howard Theatre, this legendary girl group made its stage debut, with Diana Ross among its members.
Who are The Supremes?
Opened in 1939 in Houston's Third Ward, this ballroom became one of Texas's major venues for Black blues, jazz, and R&B performers.
What is the Eldorado Ballroom?
This is the Royal Peacock’s original name
What is Top Hat Club?
The Chitlin’ Circuit was an informal network, but this earlier organization, whose initials were TOBA, established a more structured booking network for Black entertainers.
What was the Theater Owners Booking Association?
A signature part of Harlem's landscape, these iconic reddish-brown townhouses are famous for their front "stoops" where neighbors hang out, play music, and socialize.
What are brownstones?
D.C. hand dancing evolved from this African American swing dance, which originated in Harlem during the late 1920s.
What is the Lindy Hop?
This Houston businessman founded Peacock Records and became one of the most influential Black music entrepreneurs in Texas, operating labels that recorded blues, R&B, gospel, and early rock-and-roll artists.
Who is Don Robey?
The Royal Peacock is located in this historical district.
Sweet Auburn