Despite being born and raised in Pensacola, Florida, I was unfamiliar with most of the colorfully rich Black music history the city holds until fairly recently, when I came across a blurb about its role in the Chitlin’ Circuit on the town’s website. As I learned more about the historically Black neighborhood I often passed through, heading to my favorite downtown spots, I was pleasantly surprised to learn about the district’s multi-decade history of being a booming, self-sufficient community where Black businesses and entertainment thrived. Even more, I was disappointed that I had missed out on community celebrations for the neighborhood over the years.
The Belmont-DeVilliers neighborhood, affectionately known as “The Blocks” is about 35 city blocks just west of central Downtown Pensacola, where many Black families lived and businesses operated during the Jim Crow era. Even today, some of those businesses, like Blue Dot Barbecue, which opened in 1946, remain. But what stands out most to me is the neighborhood clubs and record store being part of the few dozen venues at the time that allowed Black musicians to perform when they were denied access at segregated venues.
The Chitlin’ Circuit was a network of performance venues that were safe and welcoming for Black musicians and comedians who were prohibited from white performance spaces during the mid-20th century. The circuit’s reference to the scraps of pig intestines enslaved people turned into a culinary staple perfectly encapsulates how, even with fewer resources, Black art and creativity flourish. The touring circuit consisted of at least 34 venues across the Eastern United States from Taylor, Texas, up to Harlem, New York, and down to Abe’s 506 Club in Pensacola.
Abe’s 506 Club
At the epicenter of Belmont-Devilliers was Abe’s 506 Club, run by Abraham “Abe” Pierce and his brother Bob Pierce…