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The Dolphin Club & Jekyll Island (2860 hits)

Jekyll Island, GA was the home of the Dolphin Club, a notable Black-owned resort and country club established in 1959.

Prior to the mid-50s, Jekyll Island was a popular vacation destination for white Georgians; like most public venues at the time the facility was segregated. During the early 1950s, black entrepreneurs successfully petitioned for a portion of the island to be allocated for a Black-only facility, to which the state park authority agreed.

A small beach pavillion was constructed in 1955, followed by the Dolphin Club motel and restaurant the following year. The founding owners dissolved their partnership in 1959, and the property was purchased by African-American banker Dave Jackson. Jackson and his family adopted the resort as their own, managing the motel and hosting appearances by top celebrities including B.B. King, Otis Redding, Percy Sledge, and Clarence Carter.

When the island's facilities were desegregated in 1964, Jekyll Island's golf course hosted many of the Black golf pros from both the PGA and UGA, notably at the annual Southeastern Golf Tournament or "The Classic". The Dolphin Club closed in 1966 after its patrons were able to access the Jekyll Island Resort, and is now home to a 4-H youth camp.

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