A new edition of the biography of Dallas own Deep Ellum.ampamp160Just outside of downtown Dallas lies a section of the city called Deep Ellum where graffiti and murals decorate the walls of trendy shops loft apartments restaurants nightclubs art galleries and tattoo studios. The area has been home to a remarkable array of businesses creatives and artistic practices since its birth 150 years ago as a Black center of business.ampamp10ampamp10Because of the areas long association with blues and jazz musicians Deep Ellum has been shrouded in myth and misconceptions which obscure its actual history.ampamp160Alan Govenar and Jay Brakefieldusing oral histories old newspapers and photographs city directories and maps as well as more traditional public records and secondary sourcesampamp8212reveal another side of Deep Ellum which includes Central Track formerly called Central Avenue an area lined with Blackowned businesses which served both Black and white patrons during its heyday in the 1920s and 30s.ampamp10ampamp10In the Deep Ellum and Central Track areas African Americans and whites primarily Eastern European Jews operated businesses from the late 19th to the mid20th centuries creating a unique social climate where cultural interaction took place.ampamp160Much of the information in the book is presented through the stories of remarkable individuals including professionals pawnbrokers and other merchants police officers criminals and the blues and jazz musicians who had a lasting impact on American popular music.