Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald once walked across the stage of the Lyric, a major stop on the ‘Chitlin’ Circuit’ – the black live-entertainment trail of preintegration USA. As years passed both the theater and the neighborhood it served, Overtown, fell into disuse. Then the Black Archives History & Research Foundation of South Florida took over the building. Today the theater hosts occasional shows, while the Archives hosts excellent exhibitions exploring African American heritage both in Miami and beyond.
Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater
Downtown Miami
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
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