Douglas Hotel

The Douglas Hotel was more than just a hotel - it had a restaurant, barber shop, and a jazz club (with world famous acts like Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington). From when it was built in 1924, the hotel was owned by, employed, and served African Americans in downtown San Diego. Unfortunately, in 1985 it was torn down to build apartments as part of the city's redevelopment plan.
Karen Huff established the Black Historical Society of San Diego after seeing the destruction of the Douglas Hotel. Today their mission is "to preserve, protect, and interpret African American history in San Diego County." Tomorrow I will show you a photo of one of the first places the Society saved.