Black Family Displacement on the East Side Providence

Here we have had ongoing events that have collected the stories of the Eastside. We began the process in 2017 as we looked to the community to consider what they would like to see in a mural on Cypress Street. We begin with an interview with Carol Monteiro of Dunn Street. We then have the transcript of a group interview with the Senior Citizen Club held in the Eastside Apartments and led by Danny Lopes. Carol's interview gives a picture of so many and their positive influences in the community. The music of the community told in the Seniors’ group interview made evident the musical contributions and center of the community, with the establishment of the Celebrity Club, the first integrated New England jazz club, and the celebrities that played there and are represented in the Music Mural on Cypress Street.

Interview with Carol Montero

An oral interview with Carol Montero about the history of Lippitt Hill. Interview by Hannah Resseger.

Interview with Elders by Hannah Resseger, undated

I met with about 15 seniors at 83 Doyle Ave a big apartment complex where the Doyle Ave School used to be. Most of them had been to the celebrity club when they were teenagers (14-15 yrs old) but before the C.C. there was Gardeners (1947) on North Main and Canal St. Everything was East Side at that time from Fox Point to Pawtucket. Benefit St and Congdon were the main streets. In the 50’s there would be Record Hop’s (Free outdoor Block Parties) out side of St. Johns Church. 

They said many celebrities frequented the Celebrity Club including James Brown, Ray Charles and Sugar Ray Robinson who had a baby with a girl in the neighborhood. He would park his Cadillac outside the club. A lot of other artist started here including Clay and Billy Osborne who were big stars before Jeffrey. Billy was a giant but he got in trouble which allowed Jeffrey to come to the limelight. Bernard Foley—> Harlod Melvin and the Blue Notes. Freddie Stocks. Lena Horne and Cab Calloway. 

There was a rec center on Benefit St. where there would be tournaments and ball players would go there. There were also the East Side Fighters (Boxing) and movies in the park. The original Boys and Girls Club (now in Fox Point) was on Canal St. Some of them went to Nathan Bishop and Hope High. They said there were Blacks, Jewish and Irish and they didn’t have friction. They knew there was prejudice but they didn’t really feel it because they were part of a predominately black community and the old ladies were the police! The actual police walked the beat and didn’t really bother them. 

I asked when did the conflict between the East Side and South Side start. They said in the 60’s and 70’s people started coming from Boston and New York and were used to staying in their neighborhood. 

The separation of the East Side started with the trolley/bus tunnel from South Main St. to Thayer St. The city started to rejentrify the area and “clean out” certain parts. Mt. Hope came later, “there was no such thing”! It was Lippitt Hill but politics and money broke it up. Lippit St (behind MLK) went all the way down to North Main st. The first Baptist church also split up the area. Hope St. was the biggest hill in Providence (Observatory). 

They also mentioned slave tunnels under churches and houses in the area and the slave trade on Canal St. The wall at Blackstone Blvd. and Cole Farm. Their families owned land there and on Broadway where the gold course was. They said freed blacks were snatched up near Blackstone Blvd to be sold as slaves down south.