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"Built in 1939 by Anna Johnson Dupree and Clarence Dupree to give Black residents a nondiscriminatory place to celebrate and gather, this historic ballroom evolved into a major music hub—hosting local stars like Sam “Lightning” Hopkins and Johnny “Guitar” Watson as well as icons such as B.B. King, Ray Charles, Etta James, and Ella Fitzgerald—and flourished into the 1970s. After later ownership changes and a 1999 donation to Project Row Houses, the landmark was fully restored through a $10 million capital campaign. Now overseen by a local hospitality group, it is being reimagined as a live concert venue and community-centered space that aims to honor its storied past while empowering a new generation of artists and neighbors." - Megha McSwain