An Atlantic City theater will be renovated into a cultural center showcasing jazz and black history.

The historic Dante Hall Theater, located in Atlantic City, New Jersey, is set to undergo a major transformation. It will soon become a cultural arts center, shining a light on the city's rich jazz heritage and its tumultuous history with racial discrimination at its beaches. This exciting news comes from a recent announcement by NJ.com, revealing that the Chicken Bone Beach Historical Foundation, a local organization dedicated to promoting and preserving the city's Black history, has received a generous grant of $1.8 million from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. This grant is a part of the foundation's mission to revitalize unused properties in the state for the betterment of the community.

Thanks to this significant funding, the foundation can now celebrate and honor Atlantic City's prominent role in jazz music, as well as document the struggles and triumphs of its Black residents in their fight for integration. One of the foundation's key plans is to open a museum dedicated to showcasing this unique history. Henrietta Shelton, the founder of the Chicken Bone Beach foundation, expressed her excitement, stating, "This is something we've been working towards since 2005, and now it's finally coming to fruition. It's truly amazing to think about all the possibilities and opportunities we will have in that building."

Established in the 1990s, the foundation gets its name from the designated shoreline for Black beachgoers. The name "Chicken Bone Beach" stems from racist stereotypes of Black families bringing fried chicken for a beach picnic. However, the community has since reclaimed the name and its history, and the beach has gained recognition as a historic site on New Jersey's Black Heritage Trail. As part of their plans, the foundation intends to purchase the 250-seat theater, preserving its original seating and integrity. However, they also plan to renovate the theater's upper floors, transforming them into classrooms for teaching music. The theater will continue to host concerts and performances, keeping its roots intact.

In its heyday, Chicken Bone Beach was a popular destination for Black attendees, hosting iconic artists such as Sammy Davis Jr. and Louis Armstrong. The foundation hopes to recapture the magic of those early to mid-20th century performances and provide a space for Black artists and audiences to thrive. "Now we can do even more powerful things in that building - indoor concerts, plays, it's going to be a Mecca," added Shelton. Dante Hall, originally built in the 1920s, has been vacant since 2020. However, the foundation plans to start using the space immediately for its programming, starting with choir practice, once the purchase is finalized.

This exciting development highlights the importance of supporting Black community theater and its rich cultural impact. The Chicken Bone Beach Historical Foundation's efforts to revitalize Dante Hall and preserve the city's Black history are a testament to the power of community and the resilience of the human spirit. With this new cultural arts center, Atlantic City's jazz and Black history will continue to shine for generations to come.

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