Joseph L. Walcott

Last updated

Joseph L. Walcott was the first African American to own a nightclub in New England.

Contents

Early life

A Barbadian who immigrated to America in 1910, he joined his brother in Boston. "Wally" worked at many jobs including running a taxi service where one of his customers was Boston mayor James Michael Curley. Mayor Curley helped Walcott to get a liquor license and in 1947 he used his savings to start Wally's Paradise at 428 Massachusetts Avenue in the South End of Boston, Massachusetts. [1]

Wally brought many new musical acts to Boston, including Sarah Vaughn, Lena Horne, Coleman Hawkins, Oscar Peterson and Red Garland [2] were just some of the legendary performers who played at Walcott's nightclub.

After Wally's death in 1998 at age 101, his three children took over the bar, and today Wally's Cafe is still owned and managed by his family: Walcott's daughter, Elynor, and his three grandsons, Paul, Frank, and Lloyd Poindexter. It is the oldest jazz club in the United States to be maintained and held by one family.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John F. Fitzgerald</span> American politician

John Francis "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald was an American Democratic politician from Boston, Massachusetts. Fitzgerald served as mayor of Boston and a member of the United States House of Representatives. He also made unsuccessful runs for the United States Senate in 1916 and 1942 and governor of Massachusetts in 1922. Fitzgerald maintained a high profile in the city whether in or out of office, and his theatrical style of campaigning and charisma earned him the nickname "Honey Fitz".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Michael Curley</span> American politician (1874–1958)

James Michael Curley was an American Democratic politician from Boston, Massachusetts. He served four terms as mayor of Boston from 1914 to 1955. Curley ran for mayor in every election for which he was legally qualified. He was twice convicted of criminal behavior and notably served time in prison during his last term as mayor. He also served a single term as governor of Massachusetts. He is remembered as one of the most colorful figures in Massachusetts politics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Hynes (politician)</span> Mayor of Boston

John Bernard Hynes, was an American politician who served as the mayor of Boston from 1950 to 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maurice J. Tobin</span> American politician (1901–1953)

Maurice Joseph Tobin was an American politician serving as 46th Mayor of Boston, the 56th Governor of Massachusetts and 6th United States Secretary of Labor. He was a member of the Democratic Party and a liberal that supported the New Deal and Fair Deal programs, and was outspoken in his support for labor unions. However, he had little success battling against the conservative majorities in the Massachusetts legislature, and the U.S. Congress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malcolm Nichols</span> American politician

Malcolm Edwin Nichols was a journalist and American politician. Nichols served as the Mayor of Boston in the late 1920s. He came from a Boston Brahmin family and is the most recent Republican to serve in that post.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of Boston</span> Head of municipal government in Boston, Massachusetts, United States

The mayor of Boston is the head of the municipal government in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Boston has a mayor–council government. Boston's mayoral elections are nonpartisan, and elect a mayor to a four-year term; there are no term limits. The mayor's office is in Boston City Hall, in Government Center.

<i>The Last Hurrah</i> 1956 book by Edwin OConnor

The Last Hurrah is a 1956 novel written by Edwin O'Connor. It is considered the most popular of O’Connor's works, partly because of a 1958 movie adaptation starring Spencer Tracy. The novel was immediately a bestseller in the United States for 20 weeks, and was also on lists for bestseller of that year. The Last Hurrah won the 1955 Atlantic Prize Novel award, and was highlighted by the Book-of-the-Month Club and Reader's Digest. The Last Hurrah received very positive critical reviews, including an "ecstatic" one from the New York Times Book Review.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John E. Kerrigan</span> American politician

John E. Kerrigan was an American politician, the acting mayor of Boston in 1945 after then-Mayor Maurice J. Tobin became governor of Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston City Council</span> Municipal council of Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.

The Boston City Council is the legislative branch of government for the city of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is made up of 13 members: 9 district representatives and 4 at-large members. Councillors are elected to two-year terms and there is no limit on the number of terms an individual can serve. Boston uses a strong-mayor form of government in which the city council acts as a check against the power of the executive branch, the mayor. The council is responsible for approving the city budget; monitoring, creating, and abolishing city agencies; making land use decisions; and approving, amending, or rejecting other legislative proposals.

William Sebastian "Sabby" Lewis was an American jazz pianist, band leader, and arranger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1936 United States Senate election in Massachusetts</span>

The 1936 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held on November 3. Incumbent Democratic Senator Marcus A. Coolidge declined to stand for re-election. Republican Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. won the race to succeed him over Democratic Boston mayor James Michael Curley and former Suffolk County prosecutor Thomas C. O'Brien.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wally's Cafe</span>

Wally’s Cafe, located on 427 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., originally opened across the street on January 1, 1947, by Joseph L. Walcott. Formerly Wally’s Paradise, the institution is recognized as one of Boston’s oldest and longest-operating jazz clubs. Through the 1950s, Wally’s stage offered a home to a reliable core of local jazz musicians, including the likes of Fat Man Robinson, Bunny Campbell, Art Foxall, Herbie and Roland Lee, Joe Perry, Stanley Trotman, Sabby Lewis, and Mabel Robinson. Outliving all the neighboring jazz institutions, Wally’s Cafe was given the ‘historic’ label in 1997 by the City of Boston’s Business Heritage Project for staying in business for over 25 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Irish Americans in Boston</span>

People of Irish descent form the largest single ethnic group in Massachusetts, and one of the largest in Boston. Once a Puritan stronghold, Boston changed dramatically in the 19th century with the arrival of immigrants from other parts of the world. The Irish dominated the first wave of newcomers during this period, especially following the Great Irish Famine. Their arrival transformed Boston from an Anglo-Saxon, Protestant city into one that has become progressively more diverse. These people hired Irish as workers and servants, but there was little social interaction. In the 1840s and 50s, the anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant Know Nothing movement targeted Irish Catholics in Boston. In the 1860s, many Irish immigrants fought for the Union in the American Civil War, and that display of patriotism helped to dispel much of the prejudice against them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Izzy Ort's Bar & Grille</span>

Izzy Ort's Bar & Grille was a live music venue located at 25 Essex Street in Boston, Massachusetts.

Not all of the 5 million Italians who immigrated to the United States between 1820 and 1978 came through Ellis Island. Many came through other ports, including the Port of Boston. Exactly how many stayed in Boston is unknown, but it was enough to make Italians the second largest ancestry group in Boston, after the Irish. Most settled initially in the North End; others settled in East Boston, the West End, Roxbury, and other neighborhoods. These groups of Italians now mainly reside in the suburbs mostly north/northwest of the city. But the North end and Eastie still retain much of there Italian culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel H. Coakley</span> American politician

Daniel Henry Coakley was an American Democratic politician and attorney from Massachusetts. He was a key figure in early 20th century Boston politics, as an ally District Attorney Joseph C. Pelletier and as an on-again-off-again ally to Mayor James Michael Curley. As an attorney, Coakley took part in numerous badger game extortion schemes and was disbarred in 1922 for deceit, malpractice, and gross misconduct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles H. Cole</span> American military officer

Charles Henry Cole was an American military and government official who served as commissioner of the Boston police and fire departments as well as Adjutant General of Massachusetts. During World War I, he commanded the 52nd Infantry Brigade of the 26th Infantry Division. In 1928, he was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Massachusetts.

The Boston mayoral election of 1914 occurred on Tuesday, January 13, 1914. James Michael Curley, member of the United States House of Representatives, was elected Mayor of Boston for the first time, defeating Thomas J. Kenny, president of the Boston City Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theodore A. Glynn</span> American politician

Theodore A. Glynn was an American politician who served as clerk of the Roxbury District Court and commissioner of the Boston Fire Department. He was a candidate for mayor of Boston in 1925.

Frank A. Goodwin was an American politician who was Massachusetts Registrar of Motor Vehicles from 1920 to 1928 and from 1935 to 1944.

References

  1. Vacca, Richard (2012). The Boston Jazz Chronicles: Faces, Places and Nightlife 1937-1962. Belmont, MA: Troy Street Publishing, LLC. p. 149. ISBN   978-0-9839910-0-7.
  2. Vacca 2012 , p. 150