Nate McDonough - Up South In Akron 1959 (Page 2) lyrics

[Page 2] Back in the day Howard Street was called Little Harlem. It was just three blocks long, but it left an undeniable and indelible imprint upon my soul and mind. I set myself up in business there as a shoeshine boy from the time I was eight till I was 15. That's how I made my money. My family was poor. How poor? My cousin once told my sister, “We were scared of ya'll because you didn't have no shoes on.” But from the moment I stepped onto the corner of Howard and Perkins it was on. Howard Street took away my innocence, took away my fears, but most of all it took away my breath. Friday and Saturday nights were Howard Street's time to shine. Mine, too. Akron was known as the Rubber Capitol of the World, and when those workers came out of the city's rubber plants, machine shops, and car plants – Goodyear, Goodrich, Chrysler, Firestone, General Tire, Uniroyal -- they wanted to spend money and party. Howard Street is where they went to do it. Howard Street was a true facilitator of that Midwestern philosophy: WORK HARD. PLAY HARD! And there were special places on Howard Street designated for you to do just that. Benny Rivers. Pierre and Andre's. The Green Turtle Café and Hotel. The 41 Club. The Tropicana. Joy's Lounge. The High Hat (the street's flagship club). And Roxy's, at the bottom of Howard Street Hill, the funkiest spot of all.