From the latest edition of the City of Bartow Week in Review, the weekly newsletter authored by Laurie Hayes, Director of Communications:
BARTOW, FL – The Luster African American Heritage Museum will host the 2nd Annual Jazz Day Party and Museum Tour Celebration on Saturday, March 28, honoring the universal language of music, art, and literature along with the enduring legacy of Black musicians and authors who have shaped American culture.
The event highlights Bartow’s own rich history in the Blues, which once echoed from the famed “Blue Room” located above Tom Burnett’s Palm Theater Building at Wabash Avenue and 3rd Street. During the Jim Crow era, the vibrant venue welcomed legendary performers including Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, B.B. King, and many others who traveled the historic “Chitlin’ Circuit.”
Bartow served as a key stop for these artists, thanks in part to its connections to the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line railroads and the nearby Union Depot.
This year’s celebration also pays tribute to Black authors, poets, and storytellers — past and present — whose powerful words capture the rhythm of history and the spirit of resilience. Honored figures include Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, and more contemporary voices.
On March 16, during the City Commission meeting, Mayor Tucker officially proclaimed March 28 as “Jazz Party and Museum Tour Day” in Bartow. The mayor encouraged residents and visitors to join the celebration and honor the artistic legacy of African American artists. The proclamation was accepted by Charles Luster, founder of the Luster African American Heritage Museum.
The event is free and open to the public. For more details, residents are encouraged to check the City of Bartow’s weekly newsletter or contact the Luster African American Heritage Museum.
SOURCE: City of Bartow Week in Review by Laurie Hayes
