THE VILLE is a historic African-American neighborhood located in St. Louis, Missouri with a rich history of African-American education, business, and art. Prior to the United States Civil Rights movement, the use of restrictive covenants and other legal restrictions prevented African-Americans from finding housing in most areas of the city. As a result, the African American population of St. Louis became heavily concentrated in and around the Ville. The neighborhood became home to a number of important cultural institutions for the black community, including Sumner High School, Poro College, Lincoln University Law School, Stowe Teachers College, Simmons Elementary, Tandy Rec Center, Sarah-Lou Cafe, Annie Malone Children’s Home, and Homer G. Phillips Hospital.