West Ninth Street
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West Ninth Street was a former street area in West Little Rock, Arkansas. Although the former Black Business District and Neighborhood does not exist today, its history still survives throughout many research initiatives and the efforts of the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, which is located in the former district.
West Ninth Street, formerly known as West Hazel Street until 1870, was home to a well-known African American communities in Little Rock, Arkansas (Smith, 2022). When the Union captured Little Rock in 1863, the soldiers began to establish housing for freed slaves on West Hazel Street (Smith, 2022). By the 1920s, West Ninth Street became notable for its vibrant, African American community and was termed as a Southern mecca for entertainment (Vinzant, 2004). Many of the businesses and fraternal associations for African Americans were located on this street and was known as a “city within a city” (Smith, 2022).
The physical and attempted historical erasure of West Ninth Street is one example of discrimination during the urban renewal period. West Ninth Street contained two historical buildings that were vital to the area’s rich nightlife. The earliest prominent establishment was Taborian Hall, which was one of the many dance halls on the street block (Vinzant, 2004). The Mosaic Templars Headquarters was established around 1918 as a fraternal organization for African Americans, which was especially popular for male business-owners (Smith, 2022). After the demolition from urban renewal projects, the Arkansas Flag and Banner purchased the structure and owner Robert McCoy led the renovation of the Dreamland Ballroom (Smith, 2022).
