More than any single event since its incorporation as a city in 1852, World War II transformed Oakland, notably West Oakland. One result of the influx of workers and economic vitality that the War brought to West Oakland was the development of Seventh Street as the neighborhood's cultural centerpiece. In the 1940s and early 1950s, Seventh Street became a nationally reputed cultural haven for African-Americans. Jazz and blues musicians from around the country would perform in the Street's myriad clubs producing a sound and scene known as the West Coast Blues. This article explores the factors that produced the Seventh Street heyday and the factors that, from the 1950s onward, created its economic and social demise. - https://www.foundsf.org/index.php
Today, 7th Street is undergoing a rapid redevelopment. The 7th Street West Oakland Transit Village Streetscape project will make street and sidewalk improvements on 7th Street between Wood Street and Peralta Street. This project will enhance the roadway with new sidewalks, trees, street lights, refreshed pavement, and added bicycle lanes.
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7th Street at Peralta, Oakland, CA
www.oaklandca.gov/projects/7th-street-connection