Ads from Columbia Newspapers Mention Green Leaf Cafe, 1939 – 1940

News Article - State (published as The State) - April 13, 1939 - page 5 April 13, 1939 | State (published as The State) | Columbia, South Carolina | Page 5

In 1939, Mrs. Otis Edna Tucker Vance’s first child was six months. According to an interview of Mrs. Edna Vance Foster, she had become a full time mother and had family members working in her place at Green Leaf Cafe (Lunch). See Mom and Siblings Birth Announcements Found in “The Palmetto Leader,” Columbia, SC. I found a few articles from 1939 and 1940 from The State and the Columbia Recorder newspapers.

This ad gave all of the places a person could buy Wrigley’s gum. You could see from the section taken out below that Green Leaf Lunch, 1117 Washington St. was included.

News Article - State (published as The State) - April 13, 1939 - page 5 April 13, 1939 | State (published as The State) | Columbia, South Carolina | Page 5

Louis Armstrong and his orchestra came to Columbia Township Auditorium on September 13, 1939 and one of the places tickets went on sale was the Green Leaf. I noticed the price of tickets was a little higher for African Americans.

News Article - Columbia Record (published as The Columbia Record) - September 13, 1939 - page 6

Jimmie Lunceford and his orchestra appeared the following week at the Township Auditorium. The restaurant was called the Green Leaf Cafe which is the name my family used. White spectators paid $.60 a ticket while everyone else paid $.84.

News Article - State (published as The State) - September 17, 1939 - page 8

The 4 Ink Spots came to the Columbia Township Auditorium Monday, March 11, 1940. Whites could purchase their tickets for $.75 at the Township Auditorium. African Americans had to purchase tickets from Green Leaf or Thomas' Drug Store.