Centre Avenue YMCA Building
Encyclopedia
The Centre Avenue YMCA Building located at 2621 Centre Avenue in the Middle Hill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, was built in 1922. A sign on the building says the following: "Centre Avenue YMCA - This building was erected in 1922 to house the only YMCA
for African-Americans
in Western Pennsylvania
. The Centre Avenue YMCA served not only as one of the only recreational areas facilities for African-Americans from the 1920s through the 1950s, but was also a center of social and cultural life in the community, and was famous for free symposiums held here during the 1930s and '40s with nationally prominent African-Americans. Pittsburgh Historic Review Commission. Marker dedicated 1994." The building was added to the List of City of Pittsburgh historic designations on August 8, 1995.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, was built in 1922. A sign on the building says the following: "Centre Avenue YMCA - This building was erected in 1922 to house the only YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
for African-Americans
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
in Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
. The Centre Avenue YMCA served not only as one of the only recreational areas facilities for African-Americans from the 1920s through the 1950s, but was also a center of social and cultural life in the community, and was famous for free symposiums held here during the 1930s and '40s with nationally prominent African-Americans. Pittsburgh Historic Review Commission. Marker dedicated 1994." The building was added to the List of City of Pittsburgh historic designations on August 8, 1995.