Reverberations

Augusta Music History 101 – March 15, 1961

By Stoney ⋅ March 15, 2009 ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

On March 15^th, 1961, music legend Ray Charles refused to play for a segregated audience at the Bell Auditorium in Augusta. Charles learned, by way of a telegram sent by students of Paine College, that the black audience would be relegated to a balcony area behind the stage while the white audience would have free roam of the dance floor area. After informing the public of his refusal to perform Charles promptly left town. Charles settled a breach of contract suit filed by the shows promoters but did not play again in Georgia until it was for a desegregated audience.