Ritz Theater
1714 Jefferson Street,
Nashville,
TN
37208
1714 Jefferson Street,
Nashville,
TN
37208
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The Ritz Theater was located in a predominantly African-American area of the city and is listed as being a “Negro theater” in Film Daily Yearbooks. It was operated by the Bijou Amusement Company.
It was always considered one of the more popular theatres in the area and was situated across the street from Fisk University.
The Ritz Theater was opened around April 1937. It closed in 1968 and the building was razed at the time of construction of Interstate 40.
There was also a ‘newer’ Ritz Theater which operated in Nashville from 1973 - 1980 (no address found). This was closed soon after a customer was stabbed. It was demolished in June 2001.
Contributed by
KenRoe
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
Wasn’t able to locate any information on the later Ritz, but did come across this photo of the original theatre.
The Ritz Theatre opened around April 1937.
Nice old photo if the RITZ, Jack.
The Ritz Theater closed in 1968 and the operators were evicted along with virtually all of the Black-owned businesses on stretches of Jefferson Street in 1968 as the government strategically put Interstate 40 right down the middle of the African American neighborhood to disperse the community and create the new highway. Opportunities were made for the folks in the 1700 block to move to the 1900 or 2000 block of Jefferson and for the folks in the 2600 block to move to the 2800 block. Protests occurred because in many instances, there was no property available for such moves while the government said the businesses could move their possessions or the demolition crews would it do it for them.
The Ritz Theatre at 1714 Jefferson was most definitely bulldozed for the project with Interstate 40 about 250 feet away. The incorrect report of the Ritz remaining as a “recognizable landmark” above is because folks didn’t understand that - unlike many businesses and residents who couldn’t find new homes - the Ritz did move to a nondescript building at 2019 Jefferson, just three blocks away and across the street. The Ritz Cinema has its own page. The notion that the New Ritz was closed after the stabbing is also factually incorrect. Though a fatal stabbing did take place there in 1972, the theatre continued operations into 1975.