Ephemera Press  


The Harlem Renaissance: A Short History
(an excerpt from the backside of the Harlem Renaissance Map)
Will Marion Cook, Casino Theatre Roof Garden

 

". . . Even before the rise of Harlem, African-Americans made their presence felt on New York's culture scene. Around 1900, aspiring black entertainers congregated in the neighborhood known as the Black Tenderloin, along Eighth Avenue from 23rd to 42nd Streets, and in San Juan Hill, the area west of Eighth Avenue from 58th to 65th Streets. Black music, dance, and comedy were already popular on Broadway and ragtime was a staple in Tin Pan Alley. The African-American move to Harlem began around 1911 . . ."

 Some Sites On The Walking Tour
(an excerpt from the backside of the Harlem Renaissance Map)
36. Madam C.J. Walker and the Walker School of Hair - 108-110 West 136th Street
 The site of the building that businesswoman Madam C.J. Walker built in 1916 as her home and headquarters of the Walker School of Hair. In 1928, Walker's daughter A'Lelia converted part of the townhouse into The Dark Tower, a legendary salon and nightclub.		 Madam C. J. Walker, Walker School of Hair, A'Lelia Walker, The Dark Tower, Harlem Renaissance
37. Marcus Garvey's United Negro Improvement Association - 2305 Seventh Avenue (near 136th Street)
 From 1916 to 1918 this was the headquarters for the influential black nationalist organization the U.N.I.A. and its newspaper The Negro World. The group's founder Garvey lived at 235 West 131st Street. 		Marcus Garvey, Negro World, United Negro Improvement Association, U.N.I.A.
38. The Urban League, "Opportunity," and Charles Spurgeon Johnson - 202-206 West 136th Street
 The National Urban League, founded in 1911, helped improve social conditions for blacks in American cities. Beginning in 1917 these row houses served as the League's Manhattan Headquarters and the offices for their publication Opportunity, edited by Johnson.		 Charles Spurgeon Johnson, Opportunity, Opportunity Magazine, Urban League
39. A. Philip Randolph and the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters - 239 West 136th Street
 The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first major African-American labor union, was founded by Randolph in 1925. This building was their headquarters from 1929 to 1933. 		A. Philip Randolph, Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, Red Caps
40. "Niggerati Manor" and the Magazine "Fire" - 267 West 136th Street
 Site of the artist rooming house which Zora Neale Hurston memorably dubbed "Niggerati Manor." In 1926, Hurston, Wallace Thurman, Aaron Douglas, and Bruce Nugent collaborated here on Fire. 		Niggerati Manor, Zora Neale Hurston, Wallace Thurman, Aaron Douglas, Fire, Fire Magazine
Harlem walking tour map, Harlem, Harlem Renaissance Harlem map, Harlem Renaissance, Harlem
Walking tour map
(mouse over for detail)		 The Harlem Renaissance
A map and walking tour