30 seconds with Harold Dorrell Briscoe

Established in 1951, the Lincoln Theater on Myrtle Street between downtown and the Garden District was an African-American concert hall and movie theater until it was shuttered in the early 2000s.

Some legendary African-American performers played there, including Louis Armstrong, James Brown and Charlie Parker. It was also the site of the first bus boycott in African-American history. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is said to have used the Lincoln Theater bus boycott as a blueprint for his more famous 1953 bus boycott in Alabama.

For the first time in a long time its future looks bright—thanks to new funding to renovate the historic site.

Harold Briscoe is project manager for East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority.

How did the Lincoln Theater fall into such disrepair?

A lot of it happened during Gustav, but even before then, there was a lot of neglect: people breaking in and leaks in the roof. The previous owner just neglected it. Plus, he didn’t have resources to keep booking shows or the money to run it as a successful business venture.

Why is it worth saving?

Because it’s a cultural and historical icon; not just in Baton Rouge, but in all of Louisiana. It goes back to the segregation period, when for a long time, the Lincoln Theater was the only place African-Americans could go for entertainment. Plus, it’s in South Baton Rouge, which is primed for redevelopment, and could spur further development in the community.

How much could it cost?

It’s going to cost a little over $4.5 million to renovate the theater. We estimate $600,000 as a yearly operating budget. We’re working on a prudent plan to make it viable.

And the funding?

We’ve already raised $1.5 million through tax credits and grants. We will also campaign across the state to collect private monies.

What’s the theater’s significance in Baton Rouge history?

For starters, the Lincoln Theater was placed on the National Register for Historical Places on Dec. 7, 2010, which recognizes it countrywide as a place to be preserved. But even more important than that, it’s not just a building; it’s a place where people made memories. Back then, this was Perkins Rowe. It’s part of the soul of Baton Rouge, and we really need to bring this back. We want to bring this back as a theater, as a concert hall, and we want to create more memories.

For more information, visit ebbra.org or contact Briscoe at the Redevelopment Authority, 387-5606.