Monroe Morton

An African American, he lived most of his life in Athens, Georgia, where he published a newspaper and built the Morton Building.

[2] Morton eventually moved to Athens, Georgia, where he became a central figure in the black political and business community.

The building held offices of African American professionals and housed the Morton Theatre, a vaudeville venue and then a movie theater that is now restored and used as an arts center.

[3][6] His theater, sometimes referred to as Morton's Opera House, hosted many prominent African American performers including from New York City's Cotton Club.

[4] Performers at the theater included Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Louis Armstrong and Cab Calloway.

[13] Other African American officials in Georgia also faced hostility including Judson Whitlocke Lyons, Matt Davis, and John Thomas Heard.

[18] The criticism and opposition intensified when Morton was up for renomination in late 1901 and 1902,[19] and he was not reappointed by President Theodore Roosevelt.

The theater block is referred to colloquially as "Hot Corner", and was a center of Black business and culture in Athens in the early 20th century.