REMEMBER: HOME OF THE FATHER OF HARLEM

Harlem Bespoke:  Who is known as the Father of Harlem and where did he live?  Below is one our original post mentioning the Home of Phillip A. Payton Jr. which still stands today in Central Harlem.

Number 13 West 131st Street just west of Fifth Avenue has windows that look like a Jack O'Lantern face but is also notable for being the former home of the Father of Harlem.   Phillip A. Payton Jr. founded the Afro-American Realty Company during a time when the financial market crashed in 1904 and would bring the black community uptown to brand new homes that were built in a speculative boom when the subways were constructed.  Desperate developers could not refuse the opportunity and African-Americans who formerly lived in the gritty Tenderloin section of midtown saw an opportunity to live in a brownstone neighborhood which was not accessible previously.  More on the incredible story of the black broker can be found in our past post: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2023

REMEMBER: GAY BARS OF THE RECENT PAST

There have been a couple of stories on the old Silver Rail Bar just below 125th Street on 8th Avenue in the past but Bespoke readers are the ones who have revealed the forgotten LGBT history at some of Harlem's establishments in 70s, 80s or 90s.  This block would eventually be demolished for the big glassy Harlem USA complex but before that happened, 2321 8th Avenue became Andre's which appears to haves been the spot for the gay community to socialize.

Andre's filled-in where the Silver Rail left off and did very well. Another gay bar on 125th St. was known as Jay's and lets not forget the Big Apple. All three catered to a particular sub-set within the black gay culture of Harlem. The Big Apple catered to older, middle-aged gay black men while Andre's was known for its demimonde and Jays catered to everyone else including hustlers.  

We visited each site this week to see what they look like in 2016.  Anyone with more details on the actual dates they were open should comment accordingly or contact: harlembespoke@gmail.com

NEW THIS WEEKEND: UPTOWN TRIENNIAL 2023

Uptown Triennial 2023, on view June 23rd, 2023 through September 17th, 2023 at the Wallach gallery, 615 West 125th Street, west of Broadway, Wednesday-Sunday, 12:00PM-6:00PM.  Uptown Triennial 2023 is a visual arts tribute to the sonic world—in the realms of music, soundscapes, and spoken word—that resonates with the spirit of Harlem. The Triennial was originally conceived in 2017 as a survey of works by artists who live or practice north of 99th Street in Manhattan..

REMEMBER: THE LANGSTON HUGHES HOUSE CIRCA 1940

Harlem Bespoke: We have written a lot about the Langston Hughes House at at 20 East 127th Street over the years but never pulled up an archival photo.  The above historic images from the city files show the matching brownstones on the block between Fifth Avenue and Park a few year before the Harlem poet would reside within on the top floor as his workspace.  

CELEBRATE: JUNETEENTH TOUR OF SENECA VILLAGE

Harlem Bespoke: Discover Seneca Village, the largest community of free African-American property owners in pre–Civil War New York.  Before Central Park was built, the area from West 82nd to West 89th Street was home to Seneca Village, the largest community of African-American property owners in New York.

REMEMBER: GLADYS BENTLEY'S CLAM HOUSE

Harlem Bespoke: We are revisiting some of the great LGBT history post over the years on Bespoke and one of the larger than life icons of the Renaissance years was a cross-dressing lesbian that became an instant celebrity throughout the speakeasy society of New York City.

CELEBRATE: JUNETEENTH TOUR OF SENECA VILLAGE

Harlem Bespoke: Discover Seneca Village, the largest community of free African-American property owners in pre–Civil War New York.  Before Central Park was built, the area from West 82nd to West 89th Street was home to Seneca Village, the largest community of African-American property owners in New York.

REMEMBER: THE PINK ANGEL ON ST. NICHOLAS AVENUE

Harlem Bespoke: In celebration of Pride Month, HB will be revisiting some of the great history of uptown's LGBT legacy that goes back to the Renaissance years. This article was previously published back in 2015 and reveals the range of diversity in Harlem seldom covered by the mainstream media.  Since the article was written, St. Nick's Pub was gutted and demolished soon after a fire destroyed most of the townhouse building 4 years ago. 

SERVICE HONORING BILL PERKINS AT FIRST CORINTHIAN

Wednesday, May 24th, Viewing, 3:00PM-8:00PM, Thursday, May 25th, Viewing 9:00AM, Service 11:00AM, Service for Bill Perkins at First Corninthian Baptist Church, 1912 ACP/7th Avenue and 116th Street. Service for the the honorable Councilman and Senator Bill Perkins will take place this week at First Corinthian Baptist Church for all who wish to remember and pay their respects.  More details on the memorial website: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2023

REMEMBER: SMALL'S PARADISE CIRCA 1940

Harlem Bespoke: The largest black-owned jazz club in Harlem was probably Small's Paradise at the corner of West 135th Street at 7th Avenue and we recently found a 1940 government photo of the legendary address.  Most of the speakeasies nearby were in modest brownstone storefronts a couple of blocks south or big white-owned establishments like the Cotton Club on West 142nd Street and Lenox.  Out of all the large club buildings of the Harlem Renaissance years, only the Small's now stand and has pretty much been restored after much community activism a few decades ago.  There is school on the added upper levels now and and IHOP now resides as the anchor commercial tenant.  More on Small's Paradise can be found in our past post: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2021

REMEMBER: HARRY BELAFONTE 2023

Harlem Bespoke: Harry Belafonte is a true son of Harlem who celebrated his 96th birthday on March 1st but an announcement has been made this week that the Hollywood legend has passed away.  While most of the notable uptown icons from the Renaissance years came from elsewhere, Belafonte was actually born in Harlem during the 1920s and would eventually become one of the first African American male superstars by the 1950s.  The world would quickly take notice of the leading man's dashing looks from his Caribbean heritage which also included Scottish and Jewish grandparents.  These natural attributes along with being a recording artist that introduced audiences to Calypso music would catapult the young performer into the film industry with leading ladies such as Dorothy Dandridge and Joan Fontaine. The icon would eventually become a vocal activist for civil rights and still has not slowed down later in life.  In honor of the entertainer's achievements, New York City has named the 115th Street library after the icon this past month: LINK

RESIDENCY: APPLICATIONS AT STUDIO MUSEUM 2023

Harlem Bespoke: Calling emerging artists of African and Latin American descent! Did you know that artist Kehinde Wiley started out in Harlem with a Studio Museum residency before taking the art world by storm?  The Studio Museum continues this legacy and is currently receiving applications for the 2023-24 Artist-in-Residence program. This eleven-month studio residency will be offered to three emerging artists working in any media and the application deadline is by May 22nd, 2023.  More details and online application can be found on the Studio Museum site: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2023

UPDATE: THE METROPOLITAN CHURCH 2023

Harlem Bespoke: One of grand local African-American churches went up for sale at 147-149 West 123rd Street for $6.25 $5.95 million in October 2019 and a contract is now out as of May 13th, 2022 and there is finally a new update on the sale. We received information from the broker that everything closed for $4.3M and the buyer was another religious organization.  

REMEMBER: JIMMY'S CHICKEN SHACK ON SUGAR HILL

Harlem Bespoke: We looked up a few more original 1940s New York City tax photos of Sugar Hill and got a better closeup of Jimmy's Chicken Shack by 148th Street on St. Nicholas Avenue.  The iconic hanging fowl-centric neon sign is the one image that always comes to mind but the storefront of the jazz spot was also quite interesting because it was actually a circular shack.  Most in the neighborhood know that this is one of uptown's historic district and the shop address still remains today but currently has a restaurant within: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2023

SEE: LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING

Harlem Bespoke:  The spring season will have more on the calendar for everyone and local live events are some of the things to watch our for in the coming month.  Keep it all in the neighborhood and help support uptown's small businesses!

BESPOKE KIDS: BLACK COMIC BOOK FESTIVAL 2023

Friday-Saturday, April 14th-15th, 10:00AM-8:00PM,  The 11th Annual Black Comic Book Festival at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture,  Lenox Avenue and 135th Street, for ages 13 to 18 years. The Schomburg Center’s Annual Black Comic Book Festival celebrates the rich tradition of Black comix featuring panel discussions, film screenings, a cosplay show, and exhibit tables with premiere independent Black comic creators from across the United States.  The 11th Anniversary pop-up will now fully be virtual this month with an exhibit afterwards.  More details and the full schedule can be found on the Schomburg site: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2023

REMEMBER: The Audubon Ballroom c. 1915

Harlem Bespoke: A photo from 1915 shows the Audubon Ballroom in Washington Heights at Broadway and 165th Street.  This landmark building was the location where Malcolm X was assassinated back in 1965 and has been restored in recent years.  All of the ornate terra-cotta looks shiny and brand new on the facade but the back end of the theater has a few things missing.  

INSIDE THE HARLEM HOME OF LANGSTON HUGHES

Harlem Bespoke:  We have written a lot about Langston Hughes since beginning the blog over a decade ago and wanted to go back and take a look at some of our original archival photos of the historic Harlem home 20 East 127th Street.  This was probably taken all on the first generation iPhone camera so everything is a little blurry but the beauty of the interior is quite undeniable. 

REMEMBER: NEXTDOOR TO THE VICTORIA CIRCA 1940

Harlem Bespoke: We finally got around to doing a post on the couple of buildings next door the Victoria Theatre building on 125th Street between Frederick Douglass and Adam Clayton.  Both facades have completely been altered but their past are quite interesting in our opinion.  To the right was a neoclassic white bank building which was quite beautiful but somehow was dismantle or destroyed decades later.  There is a small arched former bank building on East 116th Street that has a similar vibe and is now still standing.

EAT: BUTTERY RUGELACH AT LEE LEE'S IN HARLEM

Harlem Bespoke: Showing up to support the community is what it is all about! Even though we are pretty much into diet season in preparation for summertime, we made it over to Lee Lee's on West 118th Street just east of Frederick Douglass Boulevard to support one of Harlem's longest running businesses.  So what  is it that makes pastry chef Alvin Lee Small's recipe so good?