Opened in 1938, the Cafe Society at 1 Sheridan Square was the first racially integrated nightclub in New York City. Though it was only open for a little over a decade (the building still stands), Cafe Society welcomed some of the biggest talents in jazz history during its time in operation, including Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughan, and Billie Holiday. It was here that Holliday first performed “Strange Fruit”, an explicit song of protest against lynching and racism.
