The Savoy Ballroom was opened on March 12, 1926, between 140th and 141st Streets. It was owned by a local Jewish mobster named Moe Gale and his business partner, Jay Faggen. However, the actual ballroom was run by Charles Buchanan, who was an African-American businessman. While establishments like the Cotton Club drew the color line, the Savoy belonged to the Black community and was open to all. The Savoy was one of the first establishments in the city to not only allow but welcome both white and Black guests. This was a tremendous risk at the time and oral histories recall how the owner panicked when no patrons arrived when he opened the doors on his first night. Within two hours, the Savoy had a crowd of hundreds of patrons. The Savoy was best-known for its music and its dancers and is historically significant as a Black institution that was open to all.
Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was founded in 1796 when Black members of John Street Methodist Church left that congregation and formed their own church. This is the oldest Black church in New York and its members inspired the creation of numerous others leading to the title of "Mother Church" of the A.M.E. Zion denomination. The congregation met at five previous buildings before acquiring this structure. The sanctuary was one of the first works from future African American architect, George W. Foster, built from 1923 to 1925. In addition to administering to the religious needs of its members, the congregation spread and became a driving force in the creation of other Black congregations. Given the support for abolition, and the leadership of members including Sojourner Truth, the congregation was known as the "Freedom Church" for their support of the Underground Railroad.
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture located in Harlem, New York is a research unit of The New York Public Library system. It is recognized as one of the leading institutions focusing exclusively on African-American, African Diaspora, and African experiences. Begun with the collections of Arturo Alfonso Schomburg more than 85 years ago, the Schomburg has collected, preserved, and provided access to materials documenting Black life—in America and worldwide. It has also promoted the study and interpretation of the history and culture of peoples of African descent. Today, the Schomburg continues to serve the community not just as a center and a library, but also as a space that encourages lifelong education and exploration. The Schomburg Center consists of three connected buildings: The Schomburg Building, the Langston Hughes Building, and the Landmark Building.
The Harlem YMCA, which is also known as the Claude McKay Residence, is a YMCA located in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It was built in 1931 and was the first YMCA to allow African American guests. Many prominent African Americans have stayed here including poet Claude McKay and Malcolm X. The YMCA offers memberships that include guests rooms, access to the gym, art programs, and other activities for youth and adult visitors.
The most modern rendition of St. Philip's Episcopal Church in New York, New York was designed and built under the vision of Vertner Tandy in 1910. Jewel Vertner Woodson Tandy was the first African American to be licensed as an architect in New York. St. Philip's was a primarily Black church, and was often the victim of vandalism and attack from angry whites. The original structure was made of wood, but after suffering fire damage, was rebuilt using stone. Tandy, in conjunction with his business partner George Washington Foster, designed the new church in Neo-Gothic fashion.
In December 1964, Representatives of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party toured Northern cities seeking support for their campaign to block the seating of Mississippi's pro-segregation Congressmen who had been elected through the disfranchisement of Black voters. A rally was held at Harlem's CME Church on December 20, 1964 with Malcolm X and Fannie Lou Hamer serving as the chief speakers. Hamer had risen from a sharecropper to a national figure after running for Congress on the bi-racial MFDP ticket which led to her moving testimony before Congress about the brutality she and other African Americans endured when they tried to vote in Mississippi. Hamer's speech is most famous for her oft-quoted line " I am sick and tired of being sick and tired."
Amsterdam News issued its first publication on December 4, 1909 from the home of founder James H. Anderson. One of only approximately fifty Black newspapers circulating the United States at this time, the newspaper became largely successful amongst the Black population during The Great Migration. It was during this time that the paper relocated to Harlem, where proximity allowed better coverage of increased tensions which arose between whites and Blacks during this time. The contributions Amsterdam News made to The Civil Rights Movement are best evidenced by the authors which it featured, which include W.E.B. DuBois, Roy Wilkins, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Malcolm X. Today, The Amsterdam News remains committed to seeking increased equality between minority and majority within American society.
Harriet Tubman led nineteen trips through the South to guide three hundred slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a system of safe houses and transport for slaves to Free states or Canada arranged by multiple abolitionists. Harriet was known as the “Moses”; the women who led slaves to the “Promise Land”, freedom. Artist Alison Sarr chose to illustrate Harriet not as a conductor of the railroad, but the train itself. She was an unstoppable locomotive who worked to save people from the chains of slavery for the majority of her life. “Freedom felt empty unless you could share it with loved ones.”
The Apollo Theater, where stars are born and legends are made! The Apollo Theater has a long history of showcasing some of America’s greatest talents. The Theater first opened its doors in 1934 and has kick-started the careers of various stars that we still know and love today. These stars and starlets include Diana Ross and the Supremes, James Brown, the Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, and Ne-Yo.
The Hotel Theresa was built from 1912 to 1913. Although the original owner barred African American guests, the hotel became one of the most important centers of Black cultural, economic, and civic life in Harlem after Love B. Woods, an African American businessman, purchased the building and opened it to all guests. During the 1940s and 1950s, Hotel Theresa was one of the few full-service hotels in the city that truly welcomed African American guests. As a result, musicians, political leaders, athletes, movie stars, and civil rights activists usually stayed at Hotel Theresa when they visited the city. The hotel closed in 1967, the result of several factors including the end of segregation. The building remains one of the most beautiful in Harlem with its Terra Cotta exterior and grand architectural design. The hotel was built by the architectural firm of George and Edward Blum and served mostly as apartment complex for temporary residents. However, the hotel eventually welcomed traveling guest who were in town for short stays. The hotel also contained a two-story dining room that was used for banquets, weddings, meetings, and other functions along with a bar and grill that was a major gathering place for the Black residents of Harlem. During the 1940s and 1950s, Hotel Theresa was recognized as the center of Harlem, hosting many prominent Black social, political, entertainment and sports figures, as well as many foreign diplomats. Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Joe Louis, and Josephine Baker were some of the visitors of the world-renowned hotel. Hotel Theresa was also home to important Harlem institutions, including the March Community Bookstore and Malcolm X's Organization of Afro-American Unity. The hotel is also famous for hosting Cuban president Fidel Castro, who chose to stay at the hotel while visiting New York. The building is now known as Theresa Towers and home to apartments and office spaces.
Since its founding, the Studio Museum in Harlem has been known for supporting artists of African and Latino descent by giving them opportunities to build and showcase their talent. Innovative initiatives that push for diversity and education showcase the mission of the Studio Museum. Its permanent collection has close to two thousand pieces of art from various mediums. They also offer tours to the public, educational programs, and exhibitions.
Poet and writer Langston Hughes was one of the leading artists of the Harlem Renaissance--an artistic movement among African American artists, poets, and writers that occurred during the 1920s and 1930s. Raised in Kansas, Hughes experienced racial discrimination within the racially-integrated schools and relatively liberal community of Lawrence. After moving several times, Hughes settled in a Black enclave in Harlem--a community that nurtured his talents and challenged him to explore themes of racial equality. Hughes' literary work helped articulate the views and ideas of African Americans during the era of segregation. Although it is not open to the public, the home of Langston Hughes can be viewed from the street and is located in the center of Harlem. Hughes occupied the top level of the urban row house for about twenty years --a period when Hughes produced some of his most influential works.
The American Negro Theater was the first all African-American resident theater company in the U.S. During its active years, the resident acting ensemble members included Ruby Dee, Sidney Portier, and Harry Belefonte. The American Negro Theater utilized a variety of venues, including the basement of the New York Public Library.
Originally known as Mount Morris Park, the Harlem park was renamed in 1973 by the City Council in honor of the Black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. Marcus Garvey was one of the most influential African Americans of the early 20th century and the founder of the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in 1914. The UNIA supported the idea of Black communities creating cooperative businesses and organizations as well as separation from whites both economically, socially, and politically. This philosophy was best expressed in Garvey's calls to return to Africa and economic independence within Black communities throughout the United States and beyond.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This extended walking tour starts at the location of the famous Savoy Ballroom and includes numerous historic landmarks including churches, monuments, museums, and locations related to the Harlem Renaissance.
