Remembering Bristol’s Black Bottom: Q&A with Tina McDaniel

In the heart of Bristol once stood a thriving Black business district known as Black Bottom — a center of entrepreneurship, culture, and community from the late 19th century until it was dismantled during urban renewal in the 1960s.

Today, a new public humanities project seeks to restore that history to the landscape. Supported in part by a Virginia Humanities at UVA Wise grant, The Souls of Bristol’s Black Bottom is led by community historian Tina McDaniel in partnership with the organization Black in Appalachia. The project will honor the district through interpretive signage, public art by Bristol artist Jason “Jay” Flack, and digital storytelling that brings the neighborhood’s legacy to life.

We spoke with Tina about the inspiration behind the project, the stories it seeks to recover, and why remembering Black Bottom matters today.

For readers who may be unfamiliar, what was Bristol’s Black Bottom, and why is it such a vital part of the city’s history?

Black Bottom was a once-thriving Black Business District located in Bristol, Virginia. Black Bottom was a necessary part of the city’s social and economic fabric from the late 19th century until the 1960s when urban renewal efforts dismantled it. It was home to a community of Black professionals and entrepreneurs. In the midst of a segregated Bristol, Black residents built a self-sustaining business community that included a church, grocery store, beauty salon, barbershops, cab service, hotels, restaurants, boarding houses, pool hall, lodge, and a funeral parlor.

The number and type of business evolved over time. In addition to the Black residents of Bristol, this area met the needs of many Blacks who were traveling, working for the railroad, coal mines or working in Bristol’s downtown. In 1946 alone, at least 27 Black-owned businesses or professionals were listed in the City Directory. Many of which were clustered in Black Bottom. Like many similar communities across the United States, Black Bottom was gradually razed by urban renewal projects, with its buildings destroyed and its memory erased from Bristol’s landscape.

What first drew you to this story, and what inspired you to develop The Souls of Bristol’s Black Bottom?

In 2019, 90-year old Bristol resident Mrs. Jewel Bell began sharing with me about Black Bottom and her experiences there as a young girl. I was not aware of Black Bottom at the time and was fascinated by her story. I invited William Isom, executive director of Black in Appalachia, to visit Bristol so that Mrs. Bell could show us where Black Bottom was located.

We met in the parking lot of WCYB–TV that hot afternoon and Mrs. Bell pointed out where the businesses were located. She was particularly excited to share about the dances she attended on the 2nd floor of what is now the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. At that time it was called the Cumberland Street Arena. While the arena was not within the defined boundaries for Black Bottom, it influenced the culture of the area by serving as a venue for entertainment. Mrs. Bell was my inspiration and led to some great work by Black in Appalachia to begin mapping the businesses in the district.

Urban renewal erased much of this district in the 1960s. What does it mean to publicly mark and interpret that history today?

I believe telling the story of Black Bottom is an act of rebuilding community memory. Publicly marking the history of Black Bottom is not simply an exercise in nostalgia but it is a step in telling a more inclusive story of our shared history as a community. It is also a reaffirmation of belonging. When people see a more inclusive account of Bristol’s history, they see themselves valued and part of the story.

I was recently having lunch with a young Black artist from our community and was sharing with him about Black Bottom. He was noticeably very quiet. I paused for a moment to ask him what he was thinking. His response was, “I didn’t know about Black Bottom. Now, I feel like I have an origin.” Publicly acknowledging Black Bottom restores the dignity of a district that was the center of Black entrepreneurship, culture and pride during a difficult time in history.

“My hope is that the narrative of Black Bottom will become part of the story we tell about Bristol’s history.”

Tina McDaniel, project lead for The Souls of Bristol’s Black Bottom

This project combines interpretive signage, public art, and a mobile-activated digital experience. How do these elements work together to tell a fuller story?

Since there are no physical structures that remain, it is necessary to reimagine what existed. The signage will publicly acknowledge the existence of Black Bottom and will highlight its history, key figures and mapping. Artwork will be incorporated to give the signage a more colorful and contemporary appeal. We will be exploring ways to make the experience more interactive. The mobile-activated digital experience will hopefully come later as additional funding is obtained. Initially, a link (via QR code) to a website where folks can learn more is being considered. We are also exploring the production of a documentary.

Bristol residents mentioned in The Negro and East Tennessee: 1913. Photos courtesy of Black in Appalachia.

The installation will feature artwork by Jason “Jay” Flack. How does his artistic vision help convey the spirit of Black Bottom?

Jason embodies the spirit of Black Bottom. His career was born out of a difficult time in his personal life. Much like the story of Black Bottom, Jason has flourished in the midst of the challenges he faced. Jason’s experiences will allow him to relate and convey the Black Bottom experience to a contemporary intergenerational audience. His work is edgy, colorful, and reflects his Appalachian roots. He immediately came to mind as someone who could bring The Souls of Bristol’s Black Bottom to life.

When the installation launches, what do you hope community members — especially younger generations — will carry with them after engaging with this history?

My hope is that the narrative of Black Bottom will become part of the story we tell about Bristol’s history. By lifting up Black Bottom, I hope that young people will carry with them the sense that greatness has roots in the very soil beneath their feet and that there are those who came before them, in the midst of struggle, who became entrepreneurs and leaders within the community and that greatness lives within each one of them. Ultimately, I want them to pass on and embody the Black Bottom story so that it is never lost in time.