Clarissa Street
Clarissa Street was a street in the Third Ward of Rochester, New York that, during the late 19th and early-to-mid 20th centuries, had many African-American-owned businesses, clubs, venues, churches and bars.[1] Among these was the Pythodd Room, a jazz club that hosted local performers and nationally known musicians.[2] Because segregation barred them from most white-owned venues, black residents and visitors attended and performed at those on Clarissa Street instead, giving the street a vivid nightlife.[3] The Interstate 490's construction in the 1970s displaced many of the street's residents and caused its culture to decline; now it is "an ordinary neighborhood and common commute".[3]
Blues musician Son House lived at nearby Greig Street and Clarissa Street.[4]
References
- ↑ "The Exhibit: Showcasing the past and present of Rochester, NY". Clarissa Uprooted. Retrieved 2026-03-23.
- ↑ "Rochester historical markers: The Pythodd Room | City of Rochester, New York". www.cityofrochester.gov. Retrieved 2026-03-23.
- 1 2 Flood, Jessica (2023-07-25). "When I think of home: Remembering and honoring the legacy of Clarissa Street". Rochester Business Journal. Archived from the original on 2025-05-11. Retrieved 2026-03-23.
- ↑ "Rediscovery of Son House". The Mississippi Blues Trail. Retrieved 2026-03-23.