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Monogrammed Brick Stories
Percy H. James
Submitted by William I. James
My uncle, Percy H. James (1890 - 1963), was a black entrepreneur who founded Jay-Kola, one of the few black-owned bottling companies in the southwestern United States. The company manufactured several different kinds of soft drinks that were distributed locally. He also owned and operated the Jewel Theater in Oklahoma City that was named after his daughter Jewel, and was one of four Jewel theaters that he built. There were also Jewel Theaters in Ardmore, Wewoka and Amarillo, Texas. The Oklahoma History Center has on display the projector that was used in this theater as well as soda bottles from the bottling company.
