Fillmore District, San Francisco

The Fillmore District is a historical neighborhood in San Francisco located to the southwest of Nob Hill, west of Market Street and north of the Mission District. The Fillmore District began to rise to prominence after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. As a result of not being affected by the earthquake itself nor the large fires that ensued, it quickly became one of the major commercial and cultural centers of the city.

After the earthquake, the district experienced a large influx of diverse ethnic populations as other neighborhoods in San Francisco would not allow non-whites to move there. It began to house large numbers of African Americans, Japanese and Jews. Each group significantly contributed to the local culture and earned the Fillmore district a reputation for being "One of the most diverse neighborhoods in San Francisco". In particular, the district was known for having the largest jazz scene on the west coast of the United States up until its decline in the 1970s. A large Japantown was also historically located in the Fillmore District although technically it does not lie within the borders of the district today.

During the late 1960s and 1970s, city leaders campaigned for "Urban Renewal" with plans centering around the Fillmore District. The forced removal of African American residents led to a decline of the jazz scene in the area. However, there are claims that jazz in the district has rebounded in recent years.

The redevelopment of the Fillmore remains a controversial issue. Many of those forced to move from the district call that redevelopment a "Negro Removal" and a product of racism. The city planners claim redevelopment was a way to combat the extremely high rates of crime in the area and to reinvigorate the local economy.