The past restored: Allen University opens renovated auditorium

Allen University in Columbia has reclaimed part of its past.

The historically black university on Friday unveiled its historic Chappelle Auditorium to the public after the facility underwent a $3 million interior renovation.

The building dates to 1925 and is one of the oldest on Allen’s downtown campus.

During the Jim Crow era, the hall was the largest gathering place for African-Americans in Columbia and was the location of rallies to end school segregation.

Artists including Leontyne Price, Brook Benton and Langston Hughes performed there. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Muhammad Ali are among the other celebrities who appeared at Chappelle Auditorium over the years.

The Associated Press

This story was originally published June 24, 2016 at 12:41 PM with the headline "The past restored: Allen University opens renovated auditorium."