Cotton Club (Portland, Oregon) facts for kids
| Address | Portland, Oregon United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 45°32′19″N 122°40′05″W / 45.538621°N 122.668024°W |
The Cotton Club was a famous nightclub in North Portland, Oregon. It was located at 2125 N. Vancouver Avenue. In the 1960s, it became known as the only club on the West Coast that played "wall-to-wall soul" music. Many famous people visited the Cotton Club when they were in town. These included Cab Calloway, Sammy Davis, Jr., Cass Elliot, and the Kingston Trio. Even boxing legends like Joe Louis and Archie Moore stopped by.
A Special Place in Portland
The Cotton Club was a jazz nightclub in the Albina area of North Portland. It became very popular in the 1960s. This happened after Paul Knauls bought and updated the club. Paul Knauls moved to Portland, Oregon in 1963 to buy the club.
The jazz club was one of many businesses owned by African-American people in the area. This neighborhood became home to many African-American families after Vanport was destroyed by a flood in 1948. Later, building Interstate 5 and the Memorial Coliseum caused many black-owned businesses to move. By the 1960s, the Albina area was a busy place. It had many thriving businesses, including the Blue Ribbon Barbecue and Lew's Men's Shop.
Meet Paul Knauls
Paul Knauls was born in Huntington, Arkansas in 1931. He joined the Air Force in 1949, right after finishing high school. He was the first African-American person to be stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington. Paul worked up to three jobs at a time to save money. His big goal was to own his own business.
He worked as a typewriter repairman, a hotel dishwasher, and even a ski instructor on weekends. Paul wanted to own a nightclub in Portland because it was close to the skiing areas at Mt. Hood. He found the Cotton Club while visiting Portland. He learned the owner wanted to sell it. After 12 years of saving, Paul had $17,000. This was enough to start buying the club. With a loan of $50,000, Paul Knauls bought the Cotton Club in 1963. A special photo mosaic was made for his 90th birthday. It honored his life and was created by people who admire him.
The Club's Story
The Cotton Club was named after a very famous nightclub in Harlem, New York. Before Paul Knauls bought it in 1963, the Cotton Club was not very popular. It was quite run-down under its previous owner, Mr. Thompson.
The Cotton Club was part of the Chitlin' Circuit. This was a special network of places on the West Coast. These venues were safe and welcoming for African-American performers to play their music. Many celebrities who came to Portland to perform would end their evenings at the Cotton Club. The club also became popular with white visitors. This happened after it was featured in a newspaper column called “Baker’s Dozen” by Doug Baker of the Oregon Journal. The club was successful for about seven years. It closed its doors in 1970.
Some of the amazing performers who played there included:
- Sammy Davis Jr. and Cab Calloway
- Duke Ellington
- Mel Brown, who later became the drummer for Diana Ross
- Calvin Walker, The Sander's Brothers, Seven Souls, and Sunday's Child all started their music careers at the Cotton Club
- Ron Steen
- Renn Woods
See also
