Haven for Jazz Giants
On this spot, the Ellis Hotel housed Jazz greats such as Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald when they performed in Pittsburgh in the 1940’s and 1950’s. The hotel would also be featured as a safe destination for African Americans who were traveling, in the legendary Green Book, and be mentioned in August Wilson’s play Jitney. The building would later take on new life as a housing complex for local residents. After a series of fires in the 1990’s, the Ellis Hotel was demolished in 2002. |
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