Historic Ray Charles Home

American music legend Ray Charles began shaping his remarkable early career as a pianist, singer, composer, and bandleader while living on this block of West Church Street in Jacksonville. Although the home where he lived is no longer standing, this area remains an important part of his story. Charles’ extraordinary talent gained early recognition as he regularly visited the Jacksonville Local 632 office of the American Federation of Musicians, located within the Clara White Mission—a significant site connected to Jacksonville’s African American cultural and musical heritage.