Jackson House
- Artists
- Community Volunteers, Cesar Viveros
During Sprocket’s first Mural Fest in 2017, the Jackson House Hotel received a mural created by Cesar Viveros. This rooming house was owned and operated for many decades by German I. Jackson, a self-made, Black businessman from Winchester, VA. He and his wife, Betty, lived there and offered rooms for rent. Black guests stayed because they were denied access to other city hotels. Many famous Black Americans visited the hotel, and were celebrated in the mural, including Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway and Pearl Mae Bailey.
On January 7, 2021, the mural wall fell during repairs occurring at the site. We were sad to lose the mural, but recognize that murals are ephemeral – they are not meant to last forever. We’re thrilled we had the opportunity to celebrate the Hotel and its guests.
