Home | Plays that Kept It Alive | People | Photos | About Us | Our Location | In the News | 47th Street History
Palm Tavern

Welcome to the web site for the
Historic Palm Tavern,
Chicago, Illinois, USA!

The Palm Tavern was opened in 1933 by James "Genial Jim" Knight, the first Mayor of Bronzeville. In 1956, upon his retirement, James Knight transfered ownership to Geraldine "Mama Gerri" Oliver, who proudly operated the Palm Tavern until July 3, 2001.

Chicago Tribune art critic Howard Reich says, "It would be difficult to overestimate the room's role in nurturing black musical culture in Chicago and beyond. This was the place where ideas were exchanged, tunes discussed and collaborations conceived."

Over the decades, the Palm Tavern was an unofficial clubhouse -- the place to stop and rest and recharge psychic batteries -- for generations of African-American musicians, including Duke Ellington, James Brown, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, Willie Dixon and Muddy Waters.

Sadly, on July 3, 2001, the City of Chicago closed the Palm Tavern and forceably evicted Mama Gerri Oliver who had operated her historic establishment for 45 years. Using its power of Eminent Domain, the City grabbed possession of the Palm Tavern only to padlock its doors and board-up its windows. The Letter to the Mayor and the Alderman, which appears below, did not achieve its goal. 

There is always hope that the City will make good on its assurances to restore the Palm Tavern.
 
In 2004, the Landmark Preservation Council of Illinois (LPCI) recognized the Palm Tavern in its List of the Ten Most Endangered Historical Places in Illinois.  See the LPCI website at:
 
As you visit the site, enjoy the memories and take any action that you can to encourage the City to restore and preserve this last authentic piece of the golden age of Bronzeville.

The original address:
Gerri's Palm Tavern
446 East 47th Street
Chicago, Illinois, 60653 USA

Click Here to Read Our Open Letter to Mayor Daley.

Click here to visit the fantastic Jazz Institute of Chicago webpage.

Please be sure to sign our guestbook below and let us know what you think of this site and the Palm Tavern.

palmtavernlogo.gif

palmtavernlogo.gif

gerri_6_small.jpg

Click here to go to Sign-in Page