| After I had received a general overview
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| | penicillin were introduced. Many of Dr.
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| of the history of the Orlando area in the
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| | Wells' patients were extremely poor. He
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| Orange County Regional History Center, I
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| | treated their illnesses though they many
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| wanted to delve a little deeper into the
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| | times could not afford to pay his fee.
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| social history of the Orlando area, and
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| | This allowed them to speak forcefully
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| the Wells Built Museum of African
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| | against poor conditions that existed in
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| American History and Culture was going to
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| | the African American community without
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| give me a more in-depth look into
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| | fear of losing their livelihood.
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| Orlando's African American history.
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| | Although African Americans were taxpayers
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| To this day this area west of I-4 is
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| | like other residents of Orlando, they did
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| primarily inhabited by African Americans
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| | not have access to recreational
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| and the difference in housing and
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| | facilities, good schools, police
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| facilities between this area and the
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| | protection, health care and other
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| downtown area is quite notable. As a
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| | services that were provided to white
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| matter of fact, the very name "Division
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| | citizens. This led him to build the South
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| Street" points to a distinct historical
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| | Street Casino and the hotel next door.
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| line of demarcation between black and
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| | Dr. Wells booked bands and other big name
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| white residential areas.
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| | entertainers to perform at the South
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| The origins of the Wells Built Museum
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| | Street Casino. Many famous performers
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| date back to a prominent local African
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| | that we know today played at South Street
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| physician by the name of Dr. William
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| | Casino within the Chitlin Circuit. A few
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| Monroe Wells who started building the
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| | examples of these performers are:
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| Well's Built Hotel in 1926 to provide
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| | - Ray Charles
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| lodging to African Americans during an
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| | - B.B. King
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| era of segregation when accommodations
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| | - Louis Armstrong
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| were not available to them in other areas
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| | - Guitar Slim
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| of Central Florida.
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| | - Bo Diddley
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| Next door to the Wells' Built was once
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| | African Americans came from all over the
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| the South Street Casino, a performance
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| | surrounding areas to Orlando to shop and
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| hall, which featured musicians that
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| | take in performances of popular musicians
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| traveled the 'Chitlin Circuit' performing
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| | at the South Street Casino. After the
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| for audiences all over the country. The
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| | performances at the casino, the artists
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| hotel opened with three storefronts on
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| | checked in at the historic Wells' Built
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| the first floor and hotel rooms on the
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| | Hotel. In its heyday, the Wells' Built
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| second floor.
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| | provided lodging for clientele such as
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| Dr. William Monroe Wells was one of
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| | Pegleg Bates, Ella Fitzgerald, Roy
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| Orlando's first black physicians and came
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| | Campenella, Thurgood Marshall, and Jackie
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| to the area in 1917. Born in Ft. Gaines,
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| | Robinson. The entertainers and athletes
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| Georgia, in 1889, Dr. Wells completed his
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| | who frequented this establishment made it
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| medical training at Meharry Medical
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| | one of the most popular venues for
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| College. During part of WWII, Dr. William
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| | African Americans in the South.
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| Monroe Wells was the only African
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| | Today the museum features over 6,000
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| American physician in Orlando.
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| | square feet of display space. It retains
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| During segregation, white physicians did
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| | the original hotel facade, a guestroom
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| not treat African American patients.
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| | featuring authentic furniture, beading
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| African American doctors, therefore,
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| | and decorations of the 1930's, and also
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| earned their money from people of their
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| | bears an original interior wall
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| own race. He worked very hard to serve
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| | reflecting important architectural
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| the growing African American population
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| | elements and designs unique to the
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| in Orlando. With the help of his
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| | period. Exhibition material collected for
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| assistant, Mrs. Josie Belle Jackson, Dr.
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| | display include: official hotel
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| Wells is known to have delivered over
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| | documents, an original Negro League
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| 5,000 babies in Orlando.
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| | baseball jersey, photographs, artifacts,
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| He treated patients who suffered from
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| | books, multi-media exhibits, slave
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| pneumonia, influenza, scarlet fever and
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| | records and other items of historic
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| other serious illnesses before drugs like
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| | significance.
|
