Jewel Theater

With various seating capacities given as between 325 and 500, the Jewel Theater is listed in Film Daily Yearbooks 1940-1955 as operating as a Negro theatre.

There are photos of the (ruined) Jewel Theatre on the Cinema Tour

This theater was one of four Jewel Theaters built by Percy H. James(the others were in Amarillo, Ardmore, and Wewoka). All of the theaters were named after James' daughter, Jewel, and served African-American communities during the days of segregation.

The Jewel Theater in OKC was built sometime in the 30's, I believe. The first mention I find of it in the Daily Oklahoman archives is on March 26, 1937, when an inspector had to cut off the theater's heating system because it was practically identical to the one used at the New London, Texas school that exploded the week before, killing over 400 teachers and children.

I know that the theater thrived through the 1960's, but I find no mention of it in the archives after the 1980's. However, the sign is still in good condition, so I think that, although the building is boarded up, someone is still taking care to preserve it until it can be reopened.

As for Percy James, he was quite a figure in OKC's history. In the early 20's, he worked for the Coca-Cola Bottling Plant and was befriended by the plant's manager, who told James that he should start his own plant because Coca-Cola was not allowed to serve the African-American community. So, in 1926, James opened the Jay Kola Bottling Plant in NE OKC and quickly became a prominent leader in the community, which was called Deep Deuce. He built the four theaters and also built buildings in NE OKC that housed a hotel, restaurant, pool hall, and dress shop.

Percy also owned a grand home behind the bottling plant that he shared with his first wife Hattie, and their daughter, Jewel. Hattie and Percy divorced in 1940, and he soon married Avelia. They, too, divorced in 1948. I found another divorce for him in 1960 (Lurena was that wife), but I'm not sure if maybe this was our Percy or maybe his son.

James moved the bottling plant to a new location in 1963 and retired two years later due to illness. The plant shut down soon afterward. I couldn't find an obituary for him, so I don't know when he died. but I do know that his home and the original bottling plant were torn down during urban renewal, and a housing development was built on the site in the 80's.

I'm going to post the photos I took of the Jewel Theater on Flickr and will link them here.

Here's a photo of what the theater looks like today.

http://flickr.com/photos/25726169@N03/3219937539/

The Oklahoma City column of Boxoffice, September 17, 1938, says this: "...a Negro house, the Jewel, 400 seater at Ardmore, being opened by P. H. James who also operates the new Jewel, Negro house, here...." That's the earliest mention of James or the Jewel I've found in Boxoffice.

A brief notice of the death of P. H. James appeared in the Oklahoma City column of Boxoffice, November 15, 1965: "P. H. James, former operator of the Jewell Theatres here and in Ardmore, died in a nursing home. He also had owned and operated the Jay-Kola Bottling Co. Survivors include the wife, two daughters, two sons, a brother and one sister."

I'm responding to the above post as a nephew of my Uncle Percy H. James to clarify some of the statements in the above posts. My uncle remained married to his second wife Arvella Gamble up until his death in November, 1965. The family moved to a new home in 1960 from N.E. 9th however, the bottling plant remained in the same location until it was demolished by Urban Renewal. The site is presently occupied by the Oklahoma Heath Science Center.

No members of the immediate family are alive today. The last son from my Uncle first marriage to Hattie died in July, 2009. The only child from my Uncle second marriage died in 2005.

The Jewel Theater is the only building standing on the block and remains boarded. To my knowledge the building is not being maintained which is amazing that the Jewel Theater marque still remains still vibrant.

The Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City houses several artifacts from the Theater which includes the project. There are are also bottles from Jay-Cola Bottling. The Museum has also offered so really beautiful t-shirts with the Jay-Cola logo.

In response to the above post as Step-Granddaughter to Percy Harold James, Sr..there are members of Mr. James', family still alive. The children of his first wife, Jewel Hythel (Hattie). JEWEL, his oldest daughter, has a daughter living in Anchorage, AK. Her name is also Jewel. PERCY JAMES, Jr. has three sons (Percy III, Roland, and Leon) that are still living, and ROLAND, his youngest son has children still living in Denver, CO.

The Jewel as of April 2010 http://www.snapdrive.net/files/531840/Jewel%20OKC%20Apr%202010.JPG

On this great web site are recent shots of the abandoned Jewel Theatre, only building remaining on the block.
1970's views show a Jewel with marquee gone. Wonder who put the old marquee back up, and why?
http://www.roadsideoklahoma.com/node/537

Maybe someone was going to reopen the theatre and it fell through.