Alamo Theatre, Jackson, MS
Alamo Theatre, 333 North Farish Street, Jackson, Mississippi. The Alamo Theatre opened in 1942 seating 406. It was built in the African-American professional and trade community of Farish Street. The Alamo Theatre screened westerns and African-American films and also hosted acts and performing artists such as B.B King, Nat King Cole and other top African-American performers.
By 1960 everything came to a halt and the Alamo Theatre closed. It remained shuttered until 1992. A community restoration came about in the hopes of reviving the neighborhood. Fortunately the exterior was still in good shape and therefore the plasterwork, windows and corrugated white metal were easily restored.
Inside, everything was in shambles with the ceiling and other junk a foot and a half deep on the floors. Nothing could be salvaged. The restoration decided to go from scratch and restore in the interior to its original Art Deco style.
The marquee and the vertical sign were restored to their original design including all the neon. It took over two years to complete the project and the theatre re-opened in 1997. It is now hosting all forms of art, music, dance and theatre.
Alamo Theatre, Jackson, MS
Alamo Theatre, 333 North Farish Street, Jackson, Mississippi. The Alamo Theatre opened in 1942 seating 406. It was built in the African-American professional and trade community of Farish Street. The Alamo Theatre screened westerns and African-American films and also hosted acts and performing artists such as B.B King, Nat King Cole and other top African-American performers.
By 1960 everything came to a halt and the Alamo Theatre closed. It remained shuttered until 1992. A community restoration came about in the hopes of reviving the neighborhood. Fortunately the exterior was still in good shape and therefore the plasterwork, windows and corrugated white metal were easily restored.
Inside, everything was in shambles with the ceiling and other junk a foot and a half deep on the floors. Nothing could be salvaged. The restoration decided to go from scratch and restore in the interior to its original Art Deco style.
The marquee and the vertical sign were restored to their original design including all the neon. It took over two years to complete the project and the theatre re-opened in 1997. It is now hosting all forms of art, music, dance and theatre.