In its prime, the Gem Theatre was the heart of Black entertainment in Knoxville, a place where Black Knoxvillians gathered to watch movies and wrestling matches, attend civic events and patronize the approximately 20 connected businesses.
The theater opened in 1913 and was a lively community hub until its closure in 1964 following racial integration, according to a 2019 column by Robert Booker. Its original location was on the west side of Vine Avenue, but the theater moved to the east side around 1920 or 1921, Booker said in a 2023 video by the East Tennessee History Center.