About Us
Welcome to Congress
Congress is the continuation of a mission to create spaces that reflect the expansiveness of the Black imagination across art, music, and in the ways we imagine and sustain our communities. Congress captures the essence of Black conviviality; it pays tribute to traditions of gathering, world building and merriment that are time honored and shared by Black folks the world-over.
What’s in a name?
In the name Congress we assert the power that is inherent in the act of gathering. We know that throughout our history and in every part of the world, where Black folks have gathered, there we have found the germination of power. A power rooted in people, defined entirely on its own terms and against every form and iteration of oppressive ideology.
Our Mission
It is Congress Social Bar's mission to be a neighborhood bar for East Durham- a convivial place to linger and connect. A third place for East Durham, Congress is an opportunity to redefine public space in a changing and growing community.