Mid-City Theater
1223 Ninth Street NW,
Washington,
DC
20001
1223 Ninth Street NW,
Washington,
DC
20001
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The Mid-City Theater opened on the first floor of a three-story brick building in 1913. The conversion work was carried out by architect Samuel R. Turner. By 1919 it had become an African-American theater operated by Sherman H. Dudley (an African-American). It opened mainly in the evenings and had a vaudeville act (or two) during the break between movies.
In 1930, Dudley sold the theater to a white-owned corporation. On 3rd March 1945, with an audience of 200 attending, its ceiling and large chandelier fell in the theater, and twenty people were injured. Repairs were made and the Mid-City Theater continued until closing in 1952.
It has since been demolished.
Contributed by
JF Lundy, Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
Here is a 1937 photograph of the Mid-City Theater:
http://www.shorpy.com/node/2865?size=_original
The Washington Convention Center is now located on the site of this theater. It was on the east side of 9th St NW slightly north of M St NW.
“They showed the old movie theater, and half of it was gone.” Scott Ward
This theater, unlike all others in the area, was fully integrated as both black and white patrons could sit anywhere. The Happyland (live theater?) and Gem had a divider down the center of the auditorium to separate the races.
Source: “Shaw Historic District” pamphlet published by the DC Historic Preservation office in 2008.
Nice 1937 photo KenRoe.
Nice 1937 photo KenRoe.