[2] The origins of the neighborhood date back to the 19th century when freed and escaped slaves from across the Confederate South began to settle in Columbus.

Originally settled more southward by the Scioto River, many Black families moved eastward in search of employment in domestic service work and industrial factories.

Bronzeville developed into an active entertainment district with four theaters (Lincoln, Empress, Cameo, and Pythian), and multiple jazz establishments.

The district would later serve as a congregational site for many civil rights activists in the 1950s and 1960s, including Martin Luther King Jr. Having remained a self-sustained community for nearly half a century, Bronzeville started to decline in 1962 with the construction of I-71.

Additionally, the lifting of many housing covenants and restrictions encouraged many middle and upper class Black families to leave the district and move to the suburbs of Columbus.

Many business owners left the district and it quickly developed into a neighborhood ridden by unemployment, poverty, and crime.

The plan was responsible for the renovation of the King Arts Complex (formerly Pythian Theatre), the Long Street bridge, and businesses in the district.

The neighborhood has become a focus of the city's revitalization efforts which include renovation of the historic Lincoln Theatre and construction of new condominiums and expansion of retail space along Mt.

The district's prosperity was largely due to many community organizations and associations that helped support businesses, education, and civic life.

First developed by local entrepreneur Al Jackson and designed in the Egyptian Revival style by architect Carl Anderson, The Lincoln Theatre opened on November 26, 1928.

[16] The original building at 1600 East Long Street was acquired by The Ohio State University and renovated to create a community wellness center that opened in May 2024.