AFRICATOWN PLAZA A new plaza on 23rd and Union is preserving the culture and history of the Central District.

After a year of breaking ground, the Africatown Plaza is reaching its final stages of opening. The plaza is a convergence of culture, business, and housing aimed to support the historic African American community in the Central District. There will be 126 apartment units available to adults and families that make up to 60 percent of area median income. Funding for Africatown Plaza stems from several sources, King County, the City of Seattle, and Key Bank being the largest contributors.

Africatown Community Land Trust (ACLT) was founded in 2016 by K. Wyking Garrett. After years of work by the Union Street Business Association and Africatown stakeholders, they decided to form a land trust to move forward with preservation efforts. Aside from Africatown Plaza, ACLT has introduced the Liberty Bank Building, featuring affordable housing and Blackowned businesses Earl’s Barber Shop and Communion, as well as The William Grose Center for Cultural Innovation.

The 16,000 square ft houses an eclectic mix of businesses, many of which are Black-owned. Ms. Helen’s Soul Bistro is a family-run soul food restaurant that has remained a cornerstone of the community since 1970. So Beautiful Salon is a salon and barber shop that caters to all hair textures, owned and operated by Shavonne Bland. Other businesses in the Plaza include Jerk Shack, The Neighbor Lady, Raised Doughnuts, All the Best Care, and HIIT Lab. Arte Noir is a Black arts and culture gallery, which was featured in the Seattle Times. Executive Director Jazmyn Scott said,“We fight daily, with love, to maintain a place of integrity, joy, and belonging. We are the dream.” Art Noir has partnered with Africatown to commission eight local Black artists to adorn the plaza with murals, sculptures, and art installations that celebrate the culture and history of the Central District.

In a crosscut article, Ward commented on her mural, “I hope the people and families of the individuals feel honored by it, and I hope folks new to the area get a sense of what existed here before their arrival: greatness.”

(Left) Influential Black figures local to the CD are represented in Myron Curry’s murals facing 23rd street, including Edwin T. Pratt and DeCharlene Williams. Pratt was an active civil rights leader and the executive director of the Seattle Urban League, playing a key role in the desegregation of schools, housing discrimination, and police brutality. DeCharlene Williams was the owner of a beauty shop and college, as well as being a cornerstone of the Central district, Williams was the founding president of the Central Area Chamber of Commerce.

Located on 23rd and Union, Earl’s cuts and styles is a staple of the Central Dis trict. Earl Lancaster, owner of the epon ymous shop, has been dishing out quality haircuts since the establishment’s open ing in 1992. Despite several moves, it has remained a pillar in the community and one of the premier spots in the city to get a trim.

Every business owner has a unique founding experience and Lancaster characterized his own as nervous and exciting. “I opened the barbershop when I was twen ty two years old,” Lancaster said, “I didn’t know much about it at first. It was trial and error; I had to figure it out.” And figure it out he did. “I’ve met a lot of people, Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodri guez and of course Gary Payton,“ Lancast er said, “It’s been a great time to this point.” it used to be.” However, Earl’s has managed to adapt to these clients being priced out of the neighborhood by, “being open minded and offering [haircuts] to many different clients.“ As Lancaster put it, “I cut hair: straight hair, curly hair, really curly hair... I can cut for pretty much everybody.”

For Lancaster, a typical day in the shop is busy from open to close. “Answering phones, ringing clients, cutting hair, pay ing attention to the customer. Friends walking in, gotta stay focused,” he stated.

In the future, Lancaster said he hopes to leave a legacy for his son–who is a Garfield alum. He also wants to work on his exit plan, so he can eventually wind down the business and, “get out of here.”

When that day comes, Lancaster plans to, “get a truck and some overalls.” But until then, Earl’s will provide an experience that’s a cut