Charlie's Place
About
How did a Black man in 1940s Jim Crow South open a club where Black and white people danced together? Charlie’s Place was revolutionary, and that meant it was dangerous. In this 5-part series, host Rhym Guissé explores the unbelievable true story of Charlie Fitzgerald, a mysterious Black businessman whose nightclub became an unlikely site of integration in 1940s Myrtle Beach. Charlie broke down racial barriers through the power of music and dance, hosting some of the greatest musicians of our time: Little Richard, Count Basie, Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, and many more. But who was Charlie? How did he rise to power? And what price did he pay for achieving the impossible—an integrated club in the Jim Crow South? This is a story of joy and passion that erupted into violence and changed a community forever. Subscribe to Pushkin+ to binge the entire season early & ad-free in Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm/plus.
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Pushkin Industries
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Episodes(3)
Episode 5: All Costs
“You know, that incident was what many of us consider the ugliest black molar in our local history. It was just pure evil and ugly.” August 26th, 1950 was the night that changed Myrtle Beach. It changed Charlie and the impact reverberated throughout the south. Subscribe to Pushkin+
Episode 4: Mr. Nobody From Nowhere
“And in the minds of many, Charlie Fitzgerald's dance hall becomes the worst fears of the champions of white supremacy.” There’s much mystery surrounding Charlie Fitzgerald and who he was before Myrtle Beach. Before he was Charlie Fitzgerald he was Lucious Rucker. So who is Lucious
Episode 3: Power Cedes to Power
“He helped people. He loaned people. He wasn't to be trifled with” Charlie Fitzgerald built multiple businesses across Myrtle Beach – the hotel, the club, the cab company, the high-stakes poker game – and loaned money to white folks in town to bend the rules in his favor. How