Blacks in Champaign County not only suffered economic restriction, but experienced social segregation as well. In response to having separate and inadequate communal facilities for Champaign-Urbana Blacks, the Douglass Community Center was founded in the early 1930s. Named after Frederick Douglass, the Center was known as the "Neighborhood House" until the early 1940s. With the help of public funds and private donations, a new building was built in 1945. Since beginning in the 1930s, the Douglass Center has not only served as a place for recreational activities, but also as a structural reminder of Champaign-Urbana Black community unity.