An Orlando Jewel: The Wells Built Museum of African American History and Culture

After I had received a general overview of the historyWells' patients were extremely poor. He treated their
of the Orlando area in the Orange County Regionalillnesses though they many times could not afford to
History Center, I wanted to delve a little deeper into thepay his fee. This allowed them to speak forcefully
social history of the Orlando area, and the Wells Builtagainst poor conditions that existed in the African
Museum of African American History and Culture wasAmerican community without fear of losing their
going to give me a more in-depth look into Orlando'slivelihood.
African American history.Although African Americans were taxpayers like other
To this day this area west of I-4 is primarily inhabitedresidents of Orlando, they did not have access to
by African Americans and the difference in housingrecreational facilities, good schools, police protection,
and facilities between this area and the downtownhealth care and other services that were provided to
area is quite notable. As a matter of fact, the verywhite citizens. This led him to build the South Street
name "Division Street" points to a distinct historical lineCasino and the hotel next door.
of demarcation between black and white residentialDr. Wells booked bands and other big name
areas.entertainers to perform at the South Street Casino.
The origins of the Wells Built Museum date back to aMany famous performers that we know today played
prominent local African physician by the name of Dr.at South Street Casino within the Chitlin Circuit. A few
William Monroe Wells who started building the Well'sexamples of these performers are:
Built Hotel in 1926 to provide lodging to African- Ray Charles
Americans during an era of segregation when- B.B. King
accommodations were not available to them in other- Louis Armstrong
areas of Central Florida.- Guitar Slim
Next door to the Wells' Built was once the South- Bo Diddley
Street Casino, a performance hall, which featuredAfrican Americans came from all over the surrounding
musicians that traveled the 'Chitlin Circuit' performing forareas to Orlando to shop and take in performances of
audiences all over the country. The hotel opened withpopular musicians at the South Street Casino. After
three storefronts on the first floor and hotel rooms onthe performances at the casino, the artists checked in
the second floor.at the historic Wells' Built Hotel. In its heyday, the Wells'
Dr. William Monroe Wells was one of Orlando's firstBuilt provided lodging for clientele such as Pegleg
black physicians and came to the area in 1917. Born inBates, Ella Fitzgerald, Roy Campenella, Thurgood
Ft. Gaines, Georgia, in 1889, Dr. Wells completed hisMarshall, and Jackie Robinson. The entertainers and
medical training at Meharry Medical College. During partathletes who frequented this establishment made it
of WWII, Dr. William Monroe Wells was the onlyone of the most popular venues for African
African American physician in Orlando.Americans in the South.
During segregation, white physicians did not treatToday the museum features over 6,000 square feet
African American patients. African American doctors,of display space. It retains the original hotel facade, a
therefore, earned their money from people of theirguestroom featuring authentic furniture, beading and
own race. He worked very hard to serve the growingdecorations of the 1930's, and also bears an original
African American population in Orlando. With the helpinterior wall reflecting important architectural elements
of his assistant, Mrs. Josie Belle Jackson, Dr. Wells isand designs unique to the period. Exhibition material
known to have delivered over 5,000 babies in Orlando.collected for display include: official hotel documents, an
He treated patients who suffered from pneumonia,original Negro League baseball jersey, photographs,
influenza, scarlet fever and other serious illnessesartifacts, books, multi-media exhibits, slave records and
before drugs like penicillin were introduced. Many of Dr.other items of historic significance.