Karamu House Inc

Description

In 1915, a pair of Oberlin graduates opened settlement house in an area of Cleveland call "The Roaring Third, just at the corner of E. 38th and Central Avenue. With foresight and vision, Russell and Rowena Woodham Jelliffe established a place where people of different races, creeds and religions could find a common ground, where common ventures are sought. The Jelliffes discovered in the early years, that the arts provided the perfect common ground, and the work of the Playhouse Settlement began. They held high standards of excellence in the arts, a standard we strive to maintain, not for the sake of the excellence, but because we know, as the Jelliffes did, that pursuing excellence demands the promise of individual potential.The early twenties saw a large number of African Americans move into an area from the south. Resisting some pressure to exclude their new neighbors, the Jelliffes insisted that all races were welcome. What was then called the Playhouse Settlement quickly became a magnet for some of the best African American artists of the day. Dancers, print makers, actors, writers all found a place where they could practice their crafts.Reflecting the strength of the Black influence on its development, the Playhouse Settlement was officially renamed Karamu House in 1941. Karamu is Swahili word meaning "a place of joyful gathering."

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