Black History -

Black Street

What It Was


From the late 1940s until 1973, Black Street was a thriving black business district. It became a gathering place for generations of black people in Rock Hill.  Black Street was lined with pool halls, eateries, barber shops, shoe shine parlors and other businesses from the railroad tracks to Wilson Street.  It was one of the first streets platted in the city.  Originally it was named Church Street, but was later changed to Black Street, in honor of the Black family and the man considered to be the founding father of Rock Hill, Alexander Templeton Black.  He was on of the city's earliest major land owners and donated the land for the original railroad depot.

What happened

In the early 1970s, urban renewal wiped out the black business district. Most of the business were purchased by the city and tore down. A curve on the east end of Black Street was straightened to create the Black Street railroad underpass.  This required the removal of businesses on that part of the street. Most of the business accepted the offer by the city and closed or moved elsewhere.  The People's Undertaking Co., however, disputed the settlement and took the city to court.  They won a larger settlement and were one of the last businesses to leave.


The businesses