When I think of home: Remembering and honoring the legacy of Clarissa Street

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In honor of National Black Business Month, it is important to remember the boldness and strength that penetrates deeply in the Black and brown roots. Clarissa Street, located in Rochester, is one of the area’s most historic and oft-changed streets.

In the 1950s, Clarissa Street was a thriving community of Black- and brown-owned businesses and tight-knit communities. No one had to leave Clarissa Street because everything was within reach and Black-owned. The Pythodd Club was one of the most famous businesses that operated on Clarissa Street and people lined up every Sunday after church to hear great jazz legends and mingle with family and friends. In addition to the Pythodd Club, there were barbershops, funeral homes, restaurants, bars, churches, etc. It was a prominent place for the Black and brown community.

In the 1970s, Clarissa Street was uprooted due to the development of Interstate 490. Families were asked to sell their homes for low prices and Black-owned businesses were dismantled. This took a toll on the Black and brown community of Rochester.

Dilynda Cassoni, who is part of the Clarissa Street Legacy Planning Committee and a former resident of Clarissa Street, describes the impact of the community with the famous song from The Wiz, “Home” by Stephanie Mills. “When I think of home, I think of a place where there’s love overflowing, that’s how it was on Clarissa Street,” Cassoni says.

When inquiring about the current state of Clarissa street, one discovers that the distance of the street is shorter and the population has more mixed cultures. It is no longer a thriving place and sweet haven for the Black and brown community but rather an ordinary neighborhood and common commute.

Pat Mason, who is also part of the Clarissa Street Legacy Planning Committee, said that three of her cousins recently purchased the Clarissa Room, which will be the only Black-owned business currently operating on Clarissa Street. This small step is a beacon of hope for what the area once was.

While celebrating the Clarissa Street Legacy and National Black Business Month, it is the goal of the Clarissa Street Reunion Committee that the Black and brown community will thrive, recreate, and conquer today’s business sector by looking back at the impact of the ones that went before, such as those that operated on Clarissa Street.

The Clarissa Street Legacy Committee is also working to begin a scholarship program for Black and brown students as well as to commemorate the Clarissa Street Legacy through murals and walking tours. Every effort is a step in the right direction of keeping the legacy alive and inspiring the next generation.

“It is not portrayed in the history books or talked about enough that Black individuals not only had thriving businesses but did it together and looked out for one another,” Mason says. “We are a great group of people that have a track record of doing great things. We are Black excellence. That is why it is important to celebrate and remember the Clarissa Street Legacy.”

The Clarissa Street Legacy Committee invites the community to the 25th Annual Clarissa Street Reunion from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19 on Clarissa Street from Troup St. to Samuel McCree Way. Attendees will be able to enjoy a parade; R&B, Gospel, and Jazz entertainment; vendors; exhibits; storytellers; good food; networking; and much celebration and reminiscing. For more information about the Clarissa Street Reunion visit https://www.clarissastreetlegacy.com/about-4. Although businesses were uprooted, the continuation of this legacy shines light on the resilience and unstoppable spirit of the Black and brown community.

“Clarissa Street is alive and well and back on the block,” Cassoni says.

Jessica Flood is an Account Manager at LáLew Public Relations.

LáLew Public Relations, LLC is partnering with the RBJ on a monthly feature spotlighting Black and brown businesses. To suggest a business, please visit www.lalewpr.com and click on submit your story.