Dorkay House (1952)

Dorkay House, a building at the south end of Eloff Street in downtown Johannesburg, functioned as the headquarters for the Union of South African Artists, which was formed in 1952 by a group of Black artists with the help of Ian Bernhardt. The Union was formed in response to the apartheid government’s restrictions on creative freedom for Black musicians.

Dorkay House became a musical hub of the 1950s and many artists such as Abdullah Ibrahim and Miriam Makeba would practice their skills there. Dorkay House also saw the collaborative conception of King Kong: An African Jazz (1959) which would go on to launch many Black artists into international stardom. 

Dorkay House was also the premises for the African Musical and Dramatic Association (AMDA) where they promoted Black theatrical development. The building is situated a block away from the Bantu Men’s Social Club, and was purchased with the proceeds from a farewell concert that was held in honour of the Huddlestons, who had envisioned the building being used to support Black musicians after the closure of the clothing business that used to operate from the premises.