rise and sprawl
Unity Pool Room
Men standing in front of the Unity Pool Room, located at 795 Main Street (between the C.P. Railway and Jarvis). This building also housed the Railway Porter's union (a primarily black occupation) for many years.
Many men in Winnipeg's small black population were employed as porters, and many in the early and mid-20th century lived along Sutherland and Higgins Avenue, close to the C.P. station. This small neighborhood within a neighborhood was invariably known as "the Black Belt" or "the Loop," and anchored by the Porter's Union and businesses at 795 Main, and Pilgrim Baptist Church on Maple and Macdonald Avenue, which still exists as a thriving, largely black congregation at this location.
Photo is from the book "Musical Ghosts" by Owen Clark.
Unity Pool Room
Men standing in front of the Unity Pool Room, located at 795 Main Street (between the C.P. Railway and Jarvis). This building also housed the Railway Porter's union (a primarily black occupation) for many years.
Many men in Winnipeg's small black population were employed as porters, and many in the early and mid-20th century lived along Sutherland and Higgins Avenue, close to the C.P. station. This small neighborhood within a neighborhood was invariably known as "the Black Belt" or "the Loop," and anchored by the Porter's Union and businesses at 795 Main, and Pilgrim Baptist Church on Maple and Macdonald Avenue, which still exists as a thriving, largely black congregation at this location.
Photo is from the book "Musical Ghosts" by Owen Clark.