Harold "Slim" Jenkins (1890–1967) was the prominent African-American founder of the Slim Jenkins Cafe, a premier night club in West Oakland in the 1930s through the 1960s that featured such stars as B.B. King, The Ink Spots, Dinah Washington, and other major jazz and blues groups.[1] Both the nightclub's centrality and Jenkins' charismatic personality earned him the nickname the "Mayor" of West Oakland.[2] The cafe, located on Wood Street between 7th and 8th Street, was an important part of the rise of the 7th Street corridor, an epicenter of Black culture in the Bay Area including soul food restaurants, clubs, and other black-owned businesses.[3] In addition to music, the club was also a popular spot for hosting black men's social clubs and other groups that increased the visibility of African-American life within the city of Oakland.[1]
Biography
editOn July 22, 1890, Harold Jenkins was born in Monroe, Louisiana.[5] After World War I, Jenkins moved to Oakland, California and worked as waiter. Oakland became an epicenter of Black Culture as African-Americans migrated from the South to the West Coast. Jenkins saved up his money and opened a liquor store right after prohibition ended in 1933.[1] He opened the nightclub soon thereafter. Slim Jenkins Supper Club included multiple parts: the nightclub, restaurant, banquet space, and market.[6] He was a member of the NAACP and the Boys Club of Oakland.[7]
Legacy
editA mixed use building in West Oakland, including 32 affordable residential apartments, is named after Jenkins, "Slim Jenkins Court" and is located one block away from Jenkin's original club.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b c Thompson, Jerry, and Duane Deterville (2007). Black Artists in Oakland. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. p. 15. ISBN 9780738547251.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Heyliger, Sean (2013). "Guide to the Harold Jenkins Photograph Collection". Online Archive of California. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
- ^ Bindman, Ariana (July 7, 2020). "West Oakland Was Once an Economic Hub for the Bay's Black Community. What Happened?". The Bold Italic. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
- ^ "East Bay Labor Journal 2 September 1949 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
- ^ Heyliger, Sean (2013). "Guide to the Harold Jenkins Photograph Collection". Online Archives of California. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
- ^ Fletcher, Charlene J. (2014-08-07). "Harold "Slim" Jenkins (1890-1967) •". The Black Past. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
- ^ "Obituary for HAROLD JENKINS". Oakland Tribune. 1967-05-24. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
- ^ "Slim Jenkins Court". EBALDC. Retrieved 2025-02-14.