Cotton Club: The Temple of Jazz in the Heart of Segregated Harlem
In the heart of Harlem, the Cotton Club embodied the contradictions of the Roaring Twenties. A legendary jazz venue, a showcase of luxury, and a powerful symbol of racial segregation, it began life as the Club Deluxe before being taken over by Owney Madden and later made famous by Duke Ellington. The club helped bring African American culture to national prominence while, paradoxically, keeping Black audiences largely excluded from the very stage that celebrated their artistry.