Royal Theater

The Royal Theater was built in 1919 by South Street businessman Abraham Wax serve the Black community in Philadelphia. Wax was the city’s first theater operator to hire an all- Black staff, which laid the foundation for the formation of the Colored Motion Picture Operator’s Union. Hailed as America’s First ‘Colored Photoplay House’, the theater screened films that featured major Black stars. The theater also offered live performances by such legends as Cab Calloway, Pearl Bailey and Billie Holiday.

Early entertainment venues such as the Royal Theater and the Standard paved the way in shaping the jazz scene and nightclub culture. These Black owned spaces catering to Black audiences, during an era of racial segragation, set a precedent for other venues, ultimately creating a space for jazz music to grow and thrive.These theaters offered young Black aspiring musicians to experience and engage with the arts. Benny Golson’s recollection of seeing Lionel Hampton at the Earle Theater highlights just one of many stories that illustrate the cultural impact of such performance spaces on the city and beyond.

Happening South Street

Royal Theater

Today, where the Royal Theater once was, the restaurant Rex at the Royal recognizes the legacy of the Royal Theater and its space for inclusivity. Upstairs from the restaurant is a museum dedicated to the Royal theater.

Citations

Jazz Oral Histories. n.d. Americanhistory.si.edu. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/projects/smithsonian-jazz/collections-and-archives/smithsonian-jazz-oral-history-program#top.

"Royal Theatre in Philadelphia, PA - Cinema Treasures." n.d. Cinematreasures.org. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/13668/photos/63263.