living history

Georgie Woods, radio personality and active participant in the Civil Rights Movement is credited with turning the Uptown Theater into one of the central locations of the “Chitlin’ Circuit”: an informal name given to American performance venues safe for Black performers during segregation. Under Woods, The Uptown held “freedom shows” for civil rights promotion, and donated the profits to charity. A Philadelphia branch of the NAACP honored Woods at a ceremony within the Uptown. In 1971, Wood’s bookings were grossing $250,000/year. However, after Woods left in 1972, the theater faced a steep decline and by 1978, it was forced to close.

In the 1980s, The Uptown opened its doors again to church members. Services were held within the Uptown’s walls until 1991. The church was forced to vacate the property permanently due to severe damage in the roof from a storm. For more than a decade, the Uptown was untouched.

In 2002, The Uptown Entertainment and Development Corporation (UEDC) bought the theater. The nonprofit’s mission is to develop and revitalize buildings within downtrodden neighborhoods. Through fundraising efforts, the UEDC was able to raise enough money to restore the building’s exterior and stabilize the roof.