Today on 30 Minutes, we’re going to take a tour of the Dunbar Pavillion with Debi Chess Mabie. She is the Community Impact Fellow for the UA School of Social and Behavioral Science, focused on development of the Dunbar Pavillion.
The Dunbar School was the first and only segregated school in Tucson established in 1912. The school was completed in January 1918, for the purpose of educating Tucson’s African-American students and named after Paul Lawrence Dunbar, a renowned African-American Poet.
The Dunbar Coalition, Inc. purchased the building from Tucson Unified School District in 1995, with a goal of renovating the school and converting it into an African-American Museum and Cultural Center. The Dunbar Pavilion is striving to become recognized as a beacon for social and cultural enlightenment, educating, preserving and celebrating the rich history and culture of people of African descent while stimulating community collaboration that captures and continues that legacy.
The Dunbar Pavilion is home to the Barbea Williams Performing Company, Dunbar Barber Academy, and Tucson Slide Society. Event space and classroom space is available for rent.
Recorded and produced by Amanda Shauger.
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