July 25th 2023.
Chris Williams, the acclaimed chef at Houston's renowned Southern restaurant Lucille's, is passionate about restoring Eldorado Ballroom to its former glory. Located in Third Ward, the Eldorado Ballroom provided a safe haven for African American artists to display their work in the Jim Crow South.
It was founded by Clarence and Anna Johnson Duprree and is renowned for being a platform for esteemed artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, and Louis Armstrong to perform and jumpstart the careers of newer artists. The ballroom also served as a social hub for people to escape the harsh realities of segregation.
In 1970, Anna Johnson Duprree sold the building due to the deteriorating condition of the neighborhood. Hubert Finklestein purchased the building to prevent it from being demolished and donated it to Project Row Houses in 1999. Project Row Houses is a non-profit organization that strives to improve the lives of underserved communities. In order to restore the Eldorado to its former glory, Anita Smith and Hasty Johnson from Hines Development reached out to Chris Williams to seek his ideas.
"This actually started with Project Row Houses when they were gifted the building nine years ago," Williams told Essence. "They wanted to start a project to bring the Eldorado back to its former glory. Anita Smith and Hasty Johnson from Hines Development reached out to see if I had any ideas, and, for me, being a part of the project was a no-brainer."
The new Eldorado will feature a cafe and art gallery. The cafe will cater to a broad audience and provide opportunities for chefs to gain exposure, while the gallery will do more than just provide a space for artists to showcase their work. Williams emphasized that the gallery will also teach the business side of art.
Williams also plans to rekindle the culture and beauty of Eldorado from the past. The ballroom will feature stage performances from artists, book signings, as well as a partnership with KTSU Radio.
He hopes that the Eldorado Ballroom will become a place where people can come together and enjoy the arts while celebrating the rich history of the African American community in Houston.
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