186 1/2 Auburn Avenue
Atlanta, GA 30303
Built Circa 1920
Originally known as the Top Hat Club, the Royal Peacock first opened its doors as a nightclub at 186 1/2 Auburn Ave. in the late 1930s. The club showcased acts such as Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong. In 1949, former circus performer Carrie Cunningham purchased the building, redecorated it with Egyptian revival decor, and renamed it the Royal Peacock. With a who’s who of performers and patrons – from Ray Charles, Little Richard, and Marvin Gaye to Muhammad Ali and Martin Luther King Jr. — the Royal Peacock became one of the places black Atlantans went to see and be seen. Though the club’s popularity has diminished, it was featured prominently in rap group Outkast’s 1998 video for the song, “Rosa Parks.” Today, the building houses a Caribbean-style nightclub that features reggae, hip-hop, and dancehall music.