Before Clifford Mathis opened his Tuxedo Hotel and Night Club at 1503 Sixth Ave, he was involved in a legal case where two county sheriffs witnessed him pay a constable in Wimauma $12 protection money not to raid his jook joint (an informal business featuring music, dancing, gambling, and in this case moonshine, and typically run by African Americans in the southeastern United States). He was the star witness in the case against the white officer who was acquitted. Clifford, a black man, was convicted of the liquor law violation and sentenced. Beyond that, Clifford’s place is a typical example of segregation and racism in the 1940s.  He was denied a liquor license after the case. All of the reports in the news about the case refer to him as “Clifford Mathis, Negro”. In 1943, he was again arrested and jailed for operating a disorderly house (prostitution).

Perhaps the most glaring example of segregation in the Burgert photo are the words “Upstairs for Colored Only” painted on the side of the building. His club was literally on the other side of the tracks (seen in the photo), away from the retail hub of Ybor City. The 1200-car, $12-million Centro Ybor garage that replaced the Tuxedo was initially designed to be eight stories tall, but Ybor officials rejected the plan because it would be the tallest building in the historic district. The final plan for 6 ½ stories was approved in 1998. It cost $ 11 million. The garage opened in 2000, the same year as the Centro Ybor complex.

 © Chip Weiner. All rights reserved