Dunbar Theatre (Kansas)
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The Dunbar Theatre is a movie theater in Wichita, Kansas, United States. Opened in 1941, it was named after an American author Paul Laurence Dunbar.[1] It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places since July 2, 2008, and the Kansas State Registry of Historic Places.[2][3] It is located at 1007 N Cleveland St. in the McAdams Neighborhood, which is a historically African-American Neighborhood.[3]
During the 1940s, the Dunbar Theatre was not only a destination for entertainment but also a center of the McAdams neighborhood, providing a welcoming place for African-Americans who faced segregation elsewhere in the city. Located at the intersection of 9th and Cleveland streets, the theatre was a central gathering place for locals to socialize and enjoy themselves. It became a symbol of not just a building but also a sense of community.
There is a plan to renovate the theatre and transform it into a cultural performing arts center, with expanded space for promotion of the arts and education.
