Wells’ Built Museum Preserves Orlando’s Black History, Inspires Visitors to Become Storytellers

Negro Motorist Guide Exhibit Display At Wells' Built Museum

ORLANDO, Fla. — Standing in the heart of Orlando’s historic Parramore district, the Wells’ Built Museum of African American History and Culture is more than a landmark; it is a living archive of resilience, artistry, and truth-telling. For tour guide Ms. Terry, what began as a family visit turned into a calling.

“I brought my children here for a visit,” Terry said, “and I ended up working here. This place preserves the Black history that the world is looking to hide from us.”

Housed in the former Wells’ Built Hotel, the museum honors the legacy of Dr. William Monroe Wells, one of Orlando’s first African American physicians. In 1926, during the height of segregation, Wells built the hotel to provide lodging for African Americans barred from white-only accommodations. The upstairs housed 20 guest rooms, while the downstairs offered storefront space for Black-owned businesses, an economic lifeline for the Parramore community.

The exhibits chronicle the local African American experience, with Civil Rights memorabilia, African art, musical instruments, and a restored 1930s hotel room. Visitors can explore the history of the Chitlin’ Circuit era, when legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, and B.B. King performed at Wells’ nearby South Street Casino.

Listed in the Negro Motorist Green Book, the Wells’Built is one of the few remaining sites from that historic guide still standing. For Terry, the museum’s purpose is urgent. “It’s about truth-telling,” she said. “We make sure the next generation knows where we’ve been, so they can understand where we’re going.”

Today, the Wells’ Built Museum remains a cornerstone of Orlando’s 150th-anniversary celebration, offering guided tours that connect past to present, and memory to movement. For more information or to schedule a tour, visit the website: wellsbuilt.org