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Illustration by Barbara Bell
After National Emancipation, Black businesses slowly began to develop in Bristol with the majority being located in what would come to be called the "Black Bottom" area of downtown Bristol, Virginia. There were 11 Black businesses listed in the 1896 - 1897 city directories, including a doctor and an attorney. By 1946, that number had increase to 27 listed professionals. Unfortunately, and similar to other cities in the region, the "Black Bottom" district was eventually razed through Urban Renewal processes beginning in the 1930's.
Through out the majority of the city's history, Jim Crow and segregation was official social and legal policy. In response, Bristol's Black residents maintained facilities for fellow travelers that were listed in the Green Book guides.
Bristol Residents Mentioned in The Negro and East Tennessee: 1913
The second urban renewal project in the state of Virginia took place during 1930-1960s in the city of Bristol. The urban renewal project established public housing and restructured the streets which effectively removed the business district known as Black Bottom and displaced hundreds of residents. The following collection contains aerial images of public housing, images of the fraternal lodge, maps of property lines and ownership and appraisal reports of property that includes owner name, and address; business name and address; estimated property value and other financial information.
Working with residents, the Bristol Public Library and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum we've produced a map of the late Black businesses of the city, detailing information from 1897 & 1936; the earliest available date & the height of the Black businesses in the city. Try it out below:
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