On January 13th, 2023 I was honored with the opportunity to visit Orlando’s legendary, Wells’ Built African American Museum. The museum has called the city of Orlando home for over 22 years, and was originally established as a hotel by Dr. William Monroe Wells.
Wells was Orlando’s first African American Doctor on record, and he created the Wells Built Hotel in 1926. Along with other navigation guides such as the Green Book, the hotel was established to aid black travelers journeying through the segregated south.
Soon after the hotel was up and running Wells invested in another project next door, and built the South Street Casino. The Casino hosted some of the most famous African American stars throughout history. Names such B.B King, Ray Charles, and Ella Fitzgerald, performed at the Casino and were regular visitors of the hotel as well.
The community both businesses found themselves in, was known as the Parramore neighborhood. This neighborhood was made up of several blocks, that had successful black businesses on every corner. Division Street located in downtown Orlando marked the barrier between the Parramore neighborhood and their white counterparts.
On January 21, 1957, Dr. Wells died. He left behind his Widow, his two businesses, and his legacy. Shortly after Wells death the Parramore community was stricken with financial burdens, and many businesses had to close. 30 years later the South Street Casino burned down in a fire, shortly after the hotel was abandoned. On February 4th of 2000 the United States congress acknowledged the Wells Built Hotel as a National Historic Place.
In 2001 the city of Orlando invested to refurbish the Hotel, and transform it into the museum that exists today. The Museum captures pieces of Orlando’s African American History as well as, black world history. The legacy that Dr. Wells established nearly 8 decades ago, is still alive in Orlando’s community, and throughout the culture.
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