Carver Theater

The Historic Carver Theater is a landmark entertainment venue located at 2101 Orleans Avenue in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, just ten blocks from the French Quarter, on the edge of Faubourg Tremé, the oldest free black neighborhood in the United States. The theater opened on September 29, 1950, and was hailed at the time as "America's first theater for people of color," built specifically to serve the city's black community. Named after the renowned educator and scientist George Washington Carver, it was designed by Dallas architect Jack Corgan. The opening films were The Sands of Iwo Jima, starring John Wayne, and Unknown Island, preceded by a Woody Woodpecker cartoon short. In addition to film screenings, the Carver Theater hosted community events and served as a gathering place for its neighborhood. Film screenings ceased in 1980. From 1992 to August 2005, the building housed the Carver Medical Clinic, primarily serving the Lafitte Housing Development. Dr. Eugene Oppman joined the clinic in 1987 and purchased the facility in 1991; the clinic employed two general practitioners and other staff. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a designation the venue says both highlights and honors its history and secures its future. Today, the Carver Theater operates as an event venue under the name "The Historic Carver Theater." Its website advertises that it is "now accepting bookings for events, band rehearsals, and dance recitals," and promotes summer concerts and the Carver Theater Foundation. The venue has an online store and featured merchandise, and can be reached at 504.304.0460 or info@carvertheater.com. The current owner is Dr. Eugene Oppman. Identity note: The name "Carver Theater" is also associated with a former movie theater in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, D.C., a different building that opened in 1948 and later became the first home of the Anacostia Community Museum. That Washington, D.C. theater is a separate entity from the New Orleans venue described here.

The Carver Theater opened on September 29, 1950, in New Orleans, Louisiana, to great fanfare. It was hailed as "America's first theater for colored patrons" and advertised amenities such as a "spacious powder room and lounge with a maid in attendance at all times for the comfort of ladies." The first two showings starred John Wayne in "The Sands of Iwo Jima" and "Unknown Island"; these premieres were preceded by a Woody Woodpecker cartoon. The theater was named after George Washington Carver, the famed Negro educator and one of the 20th century's greatest scientists. It was built specifically to cater to a Negro audience and was designed by Dallas-based architect Jack Corgan. It is located just ten blocks from the French Quarter, proximal to downtown New Orleans, and on the fringe of the Faubourg Tremé, the oldest community of free Blacks in the United States. The Carver played host to a number of community events in addition to showing movies. After the shutdown of the movie screen in 1980, the building entered a new phase. From 1992 until August 2005, The Historic Carver Theater was home to the Carver Medical Clinic, primarily serving the Lafitte Housing Development. The current owner, Dr. Eugene Oppman, joined the clinic in 1987 and later purchased the facility in 1991; the clinic employed two general practitioners and other staff. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, a status the venue says highlights and honors its past and guarantees its future. In its current incarnation, the venue operates as "The Historic Carver Theater," an event space that books concerts, band rehearsals, dance recitals, and other events. Its website promotes summer concerts and a Carver Theater Foundation, and offers an online shop with featured products. The venue is located at 2101 Orleans Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana 70116, and can be contacted at 504.304.0460 or info@carvertheater.com. Separately, the name "Carver Theater" also refers to a former movie theater in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, D.C. That building opened in 1948 in the Streamline Moderne style, was built by John Jacob Zink, and held upwards of 500 seated people. It closed in the 1960s and reopened in 1967 as the first home of the Anacostia Community Museum, which moved out in 1987. In 2001 the city of Washington agreed to a 20-year lease with the Good Samaritan Foundation, a non-profit founded by Art Monk, for use as a training center; in 2004 the city sold the building to the foundation for $255,235. That Washington, D.C. theater is a distinct entity from the New Orleans venue.

• 2005

  The Carver Medical Clinic era ends in August 2005.

• 2004

  The city of Washington sells the Washington, D.C. Carver Theater building to the Good Samaritan Foundation for $255,235.

• 2001

  The city of Washington agrees to a 20-year lease with the Good Samaritan Foundation for the Washington, D.C. Carver Theater.

• 1992

  The building becomes home to the Carver Medical Clinic, primarily serving the Lafitte Housing Development.

• 1991

  Dr. Eugene Oppman purchases the facility.

• 1987

  Dr. Eugene Oppman joins the Carver Medical Clinic housed in the building.

• 1987

  The Anacostia Community Museum moves out of the Washington, D.C. Carver Theater.

• 1980

  The movie screen shuts down.

• 1967

  The Washington, D.C. Carver Theater reopens as the first home of the Anacostia Community Museum.

• 1950

  The Carver Theater opens in New Orleans on September 29, hailed as "America's first theater for colored patrons."

• 1948

  The separate Carver Theater in Washington, D.C., opens in the Anacostia neighborhood.

A historic, community-rooted New Orleans event venue marketed as "The Historic Carver Theater," available for concerts, rehearsals, recitals, and private events.

• Event venue rental

  The Historic Carver Theater books events, band rehearsal dates, and dance recitals.

• Summer concerts

  The venue promotes summer concerts on its website.

• Online shop

  The website includes a shop with featured products.

1. 1The Historic Carver Theatercarvertheater.com
2. 2Our Storycarvertheater.com
3. 3Carver Theaterwikidata.org
4. 4Carver Theater (Washington, D.C.)en.wikipedia.org