Black Arts & Culture Itinerary

Throughout the city of Pittsburgh, there are a number of historic structures, or “cultural treasures”, dedicated to preserving the legacy of some of the region’s most prominent Black and Brown people who influenced this city, and its people, through their talent in art, entertainment or sports. Each with a story, or two, that recounts their greatness and success during a time when people who looked like them were considered less then and not equal; stories that serve to inspire generations, for many years to come.

While many of Pittsburgh’s historic gems, relating to people of color, may be well-known, there are still a that may be seem hidden, and maybe even forgotten. They all have a common element—historically, their impact stretches far beyond the city, the state, for some, even the country.

As you build your itinerary for a visit to Pittsburgh, consider these cultural treasures that highlight a few figures whose stories of significance are still making impact, decades later:

National Negro Opera House

For more than four decades, almost as long as one of the most recent owners of the historic 7101 Apple Street residence has been on earth, the home that once housed the headquarters of the National Negro Opera Company (NNOC) has remained vacant. To many, the 7,000 square-foot grand Victorian home, located in the Homewood section of the city, was just another dilapidated building, but to Jonnet Solomon, founder of the nonprofit, National Opera House (NOH), the eyesore known as the National Negro Opera House is a local historic treasure that must be protected and preserved for generations to enjoy, for years to come.

After discovering the home and the historical marker that is posted in front of it, through what she called ‘local exploration’, and researching the story that went along with it, Solomon became inspired and from there, she began her mission to preserve and restore the home that housed the first prominent African American opera company in the country. In 2000, Solomon, along with Miriam White, purchased the home from a bank, with the goal to restore the Apple Street home and transform it into an audio museum and arts center. The project is operated under NOH, whose mission is “to restore and maintain the National Negro Opera House in order to teach culture through arts and music to the youth of the community. The Opera House hopes to relive the dream and aspiration started by Madame Mary Cardwell Dawson.”

Recently named one of the country’s 11 most endangered historic places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Solomon hopes that through her work one of Pittsburgh’s most hidden cultural treasures will be revealed and that the inspiring story of NNOC and its founder, Mary Cardwell Dawson, will continue to be shared.

The Apple Street home, which is believed to have been built in the late 1880s/early 1900s, was purchased by William A. “Woogie” Harris, the brother of famous photographer, Charles “Teenie” Harris, in 1930. William Harris, who Solomon said was commonly referred to as the “bank of the Black community”, because he was known to financially support several Black businesses and community organizations, one later being the National Negro Opera Company. In 1941, Dawson rented space in the home and established the National Negro Opera Company, after the school she operated for years, the Cardwell Dawson School of Music, in the Homewood section of the city, closed. Under her direction, the company was the most successful African American opera troupe; their first official appearance was at Syria Mosque, in Pittsburgh”. For more than 20 years, Dawson trained numerous Black musicians and singers; produced acclaimed performances in Pittsburgh, New York, Cleveland and Washington, D.C.; and continued to raise funds for the company and her students. She was known as an advocate for Black musicians. Some of her notable students were Robert McFerrin Sr., who was the first Black male to sing with the Metropolitan Opera, and pianist Ahmad Jamal, to name a few. In 1942, Dawson moved to Washington, D.C., but continued to rent space on the third floor to house the local guild office and a studio. Along with Pittsburgh, NNOC chapters were established in Baltimore, Chicago, Washington D.C., Cleveland, New York and New Jersey. The company continued until shortly after Dawson’s death in 1962. She was a successful entrepreneur with many accomplishments during a time period where it was hard for African Americans to thrive.

After the troupe disbanded, later, the NNOH became a social hub and boarding house for African American professional athletes and musicians who were not welcomed at most hotels. Famous faces included Roberto Clemente, Lena Horne, Joe Louis, Count Basie and Billy Eckstine. William Harris owned the home until his death. It was later passed down to relatives and then sold to a bank.

In 1994, the house was designated a historical structure by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and in 2008, it was named a Pittsburgh City Historical Landmark.

While she is still in the planning phase of the project to restore the NNOH, she continues to move forward with her goal of keeping the company’s legacy alive—all of the company’s records are now housed at the Library of Congress, the Senator John Heinz History Center and the Carnegie Museum Archives; plus, earlier this year, a grant $500,000 grant was awarded by the Richard King Mellon Foundation for the restoration. She hopes that more community support and financial resources will follow. According to Solomon, the restoration of the NNOH is the anchor piece for a larger project, that would consist of an arts & culture district, which she hopes to develop in the future. For more information on the National Negro Opera House, visit www.nationaloperahouse.org.

August Wilson House

Along with the National Negro Opera House, the August Wilson House is another local historic gem with an amazing story. Located at 1727 Bedford Avenue, in the Hill District, sits the childhood home of the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and poet August Wilson. The small two-room apartment, that sat behind Bella’s Market, was where Wilson spent the first 12-13 years of his life, with his mom, Daisy, and his siblings. Wilson’s mother taught him to read when his was four.

The Hill District, once described as one of the nation’s most vibrant Black neighborhoods, consisted of local entertainment establishments where jazz legends came to perform and was the former home of the New Pittsburgh Courier, one of the oldest, historic Black news publications in the country. The Hill, along with his experiences at home, with his family, were a major influence for Wilson’s well-recognized 10-cycle play series which depicts African American life in Pittsburgh in the 20th century “through comedy and tragedy, aspiration and despair.”

With a vision to celebrate the rich community history and memories that Wilson used to influence his award winning plays, as well as a way to extend his legacy and serve as an inspiration for future artists, the Daisy Wilson Artist Community Inc. (DWAC), a nonprofit founded by Wilson’s nephew, Paul Ellis, and whose mission is to promote the literary and social legacy of Wilson, has already began a project to transform the old home into a multi-use space that will include the restoration of the original two-room home to its 1950s period, as well the addition of state of the art studios, gathering spaces, galleries and more. The space will contain digital and audio displays, along with artifacts about Wilson’s life. Beyond that, the outside space will lend itself as the location for hosting annual productions of the American Century Cycle plays.

The first phase of the project began in 2008 with stabilizing and restoring the outer shell of the home, which was completed through the financial support of government entities and foundations. Also, several celebrities have donated to the project.

The August Wilson House was first designated as a historical landmark in 2007 by the state of Pennsylvania and in 2008 it was placed on the list of the City of Pittsburgh’s historic designations, which is given to districts or individual structures within the city limit after they have been reviewed by the Historic Review and City Planning Commissions and then reviewed and approved by City Council. The August Wilson House is one of, approximately, 86 structures, in the city, that has been recognized with this honor. Later, in 2013, the National Park Service listed the house on the National Register.

While the project is incomplete, the site serves as the host location for special performances and celebrations, including the annual August Wilson Block Party, which takes place in April, in honor of Wilson’s birthday.

For more information on the August Wilson House, visit www.augustwilsonhouse.org

The New Granada Theater

Not too far from the August Wilson House is another historic gem, the New Granada Theater. While the memorable theater, located at 2007 Centre Avenue, also in the Hill District, will soon be part of a new development, New Granada Square, the memories of the classic theater will forever remain a significant part of the African American culture, here, in Pittsburgh, and the surrounding communities.

The New Granada Theater was designed by one of America’s early African American architects, Louis A. S. Bellinger, and was built in 1927 as the original meeting place for the African American fraternal order, the Knights of Pythias.

According to records, The Granada was just one Bellinger’s local well-recognized work. Some of his work included the design for Central Park, the homefield of the African American Pittsburgh Keystones baseball team; Greenlee Field, home of the Crawford Grays, which, like other historic African American structures in the city, was demolished to make room for public housing; a couple apartment buildings; and the remodel of St. Mark A.M.E. Church, in Wilkinsburg, and Rodman Street Baptist Church.

In 1937-1938, the Granada was remodeled by Alfred Marks and became a well-known movie theater and entertainment venue, that featured live music and dancing. Celebrities like Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines were known to have performed at the theater.

The building once included beautiful entrances consisting of Italian marble, myriad lights, box seats, finished walls and so much more. It closed in the mid 1960s and was later bought by the Hill Community Development Corporation.

In 2023, the Hill CDC and its partners broke ground on what will be known as New Granada Square, a multi-level, mixed-use development that will include apartments, retail space, as well as institutional, culture, community and multipurpose event space. The theater will be revitalized to include space to hold conferences, concerts, TED talks and other events.

In 2004, the City of Pittsburgh included the New Granada Theater on its list of historic designations; in 2007, it was designated a historic landmark by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation; and in 2010, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. For more information on the New Granada Square, visit www.hilldistrict.org.

The Clemente Museum

Located in the former Engine House No. 25, at 3339 Penn Ave., in Lawrenceville, sits the museum dedicated to one of the greatest baseball players and humanitarian—Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder and Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente. A man who made an impact just as much off the field as he did on it.

The Clemente Museum, which was founded in 2007 and is operated by photographer Duane Rieder, who served as the Clemente family archivist for 10 years, is an independent non-profit museum dedicated to preserving the legacy of “The Great One” and educating people about his life, in hopes that his amazing story will inspire others to go out, in the world, and make lasting, positive impacts.

A bit deceiving in size, from the outside, the spacious 12,000 square-feet museum was not how the space was, initially, intended to be used. Originally, long before there was a thought of a museum or a winery on the lower level, Rieder purchased and renovated the dilapidated firehouse to serve as his photography studio. Now, the space, which some would say was destined to house this one-of-kind museum, holds, what is known to be, the world’s largest exhibited collection containing artifacts, photographs, documents and more, related to Clemente, his family and his teammates.

A Puerto Rican baseball player who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates, in 1954, Clemente rose to become one of the greatest to step on the mound. He played for the Pirates until his death. On Dec. 31, 1972, while on his way to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua, the plane he was on crashed into the Atlantic. He was only 38 years old. Throughout his 18-year career, Clemente received every major league baseball award that was given and was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame. Also, he posthumously received several presidential medals.

According to Rieder, the journey of what has now become The Clemente Museum began in the 1990s when he visited Clemente’s widow, Vera, in Puerto Rico. She had asked him to take several photos that were in poor condition and “fix” them.

Unable to do much with them, he and his brother located the photographer, got the proofs for those photos, along with others, made the prints and took them to her. Warmed by his kindness, Rieder said Vera named him the official Clemente family archivist, and from that day, their friendship blossomed. Rieder credits Vera, whom he describes as his angel, for being one of the reasons why he continues to do the work that he does. From then on, he collected every negative and photograph that he could get his hands on, all “to help her.”

Through the years, Vera would visit the museum and even served on its board. Vera Clemente died in 2019. Although she has passed, Rieder still continues to acquire items. While it is hard work, he said, he considers himself lucky to be able to do this. He loves what Roberto Clemente stood for and wants to do all he can to preserve, and carry on, his extraordinary legacy.

Some of the exciting artifacts that can be seen at the museum are the one of the propellers from the plane involved in the crash; rare documents from his time in the United State Marine Corps. Reserves and from when he lived at the Pennley Park Apartments, located at Penn and Negley Avenues, which later became the Penn Plaza Apartments that were demolished in 2017; Gold Glove Awards; and the home plate from the 1971 World Series, just to name a few. In addition to all the memorabilia and photos, it is the stories behind each display and how he acquired them that adds to the experience; stories that Rieder learned by speaking to the people who knew and interacted with Clemente. Things you can’t just find in a book.

Riders said he hopes that visitors not only take away an understanding of Clemente and who he was, not only as a ball player, but as a humanitarian, too; but, also, how to be a good human, like Clemente. He made such an impact, in such a short time.

Whether a baseball fan, or not, or a just lover of history, visitors are guaranteed to leave captivated by the experience.

Guided tours are available and can be booked through the museum’s website, www.clementemuseum.com

Editor's Note: Those four stops complete Ashley's original article, but I have added the following stops to help round out this itinerary.

Josh Gibson Heritage Park

2024 has been a monumental year for the accomplishments of Josh Gibson and other Negro League greats who played for one of the many heralded Pittsburgh teams. In May, MLB incorporated all Negro League stats, allowing Gibson to supplant names such as Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth in many major batting statistics.

Head to Station Square on the south side of the city to Josh Gibson Heritage Park, which honors the accomplishments of Gibson as well as other Negro League players who played for Pittsburgh's Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords teams.

This small park features beautiful bronze castings of oil paintings featuring Gibson, Satchel Page, Cool Papa Bell and Cum Posey and is a perfect addition to your itinerary before or after you ride the Inclines and enjoy an evening in Station Square.

August Wilson African American Cultural Center

We've mentioned August Wilson earlier in this article, but another can't-miss stop involving Pittsburgh's Pulitzer-winning playwright is right Downtown at the aptly named August Wilson African American Cultural Center (AWAAC).

This building is a new hub of Black culture in Pittsburgh, beckoning in travelers and locals with its unique "sail" designed exterior to two-stories and 65,000-square-feet of cultural amenities.

Exhibits are free and open to the public with works from acclaimed visual artists filling galleries, hallways and every conceivable space in the center. Of particular note is August Wilson: The Writer's Landscape, the permanent exhibit following Wilson's life, works and impact through various pastiches of Pittsburgh. You'll walk through scenes of Fences, see the Pittsburgh where Wilson grew up and be immersed in the Hill District locales from that era.

During your visit, be sure to explore their events calendar for special screenings, live performances and more including Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival.

Heinz History Center

Black culture is at the forefront of the Heinz History Center, recently named the top history museum in the country. Start your journey at the From Slavery to Freedom exhibit which highlights the enslavement of Africans, the anti-slavery movement, the Underground Railroad, and the impact of 19th-century activism on human and civil rights in the Pittsburgh of today. Several touches on this exhibit show why this museum is so lauded, such as entering through a giant shackle to see whips, chains and notable paintings and documents from this era.

You'll find exhibits on Black excellence throughout other galleries in the Heinz History Center, too. Find jazz great George Benson's guitar at Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation exhibit. See WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist Swintayla “Swin” Cash's jersey at the Western PA Sports Museum, a museum housed entirely within the Heinz History Center. Browse through the Special Collections exhibits for other amazing finds like the robes of Judge Paul A. Simmons, the first African American federal judge in Western Pennsylvania, and the Conley Safety Camera used by legendary photographer Charles “Teenie” Harris,

Carnegie Museum of Art

And speaking of Teenie Harris, no Black arts itinerary would be complete without a visit to the Carnegie Museum of Art. Their Charles "Teenie" Harris Archive shows Pittsburgh's Black community from the perspective of Harris, the preeminent photographer of one of the nation's most famous Black newspapers.

An entire section of the Museum allows you to browse selected photographs from Harris' incredible catalogue, but that's just the beginning. More than 70,000 of his negatives have also been digitized so you can browse online at any time!

More to Explore:

Ashley J.

Author

Ashley J.

A lover of culture, travel and new experiences, Ashley Johnson is a resident of the Greater Pittsburgh area. For more than 10 years, she has worked for the New Pittsburgh Courier, one of the country’s most historic Black news publications. In her spare time, she enjoys serving the community, spending time with loved ones and taking in all the city has to offer.

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