5 Best Historic Spots In Harlem

June 24, 2015

1. Langston Hughes’ Harlem Brownstone

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One of the most prominent figures during the Harlem Renaissance, acclaimed poet and author Langston Hughes resided in his Harlem brownstone, which is located on 20. East 127th Street in Harlem.

2. Minton’s Playhouse

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Located on 206th West 118th Street in Harlem, this famous musical relic was founded in 1938 by Henry Milton, a talented saxophonist who become known as the first black delegate to the American Federation of Musicians. Back in its heyday, Minton’s Playhouse was a popular jazz club in the 1940s. Frequented by the likes of Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk, the jazz club and bar played a pivotal role in the development of modern jazz music.

3. The Apollo Theater

Apollo_Theater,_Harlem_(2009)The Apollo Theater at 253 West 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and Frederick Douglass Boulevard in the Harlem, New York City.The building which later became the Apollo Theater was built in 1913-14 and was designed by architect George Keister, The Apollo has presented acts such as Louis Armstrong, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Carmen De Lavallade, Richard Pryor, Staple Singers, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis Jr., James Brown, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Parliament-Funkadelic, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Dionne Warwick The Jackson 5, Patti LaBelle, Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Ben E. King, Mariah Carey, The Isley Brothers, Lauryn Hill and Ne-Yo.

4. 369th Regiment Armory

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The 369th Regiment Armory was built for the 369th Regiment. Also known as the Harlem Hellfighters, they were a military regiment unit revered for their courage, valiance and valor during World War I. The 369th Regiment Armory was the first military regiment unit to be comprised of solely African Americans during World War I.

5. The New York Amsterdam News Building

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The New York Amsterdam News gained national prominence for publishing weekly articles devoted to New York City’s African American community. Some of its more notable articles centered around African American icons such as Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., Barack Obama and Maya Angelou. Between 1916 and 1938, much of the newspaper’s publication took place in a row house located on 2293 Seventh Avenue in Harlem. The house become a National Historic Landmark on May 11, 1976.

Think we missed one, what would you add?

Photo credit: 1) Langston Hughes’ Harlem Brownstone. Image via Wikimedia Commons. 2) Famous Jazz Musicians in front of Minton’s Playhouse. Image via Wikimedia Commons. 3) The Apollo Theater on 125th Street. Image via Wikimedia Commons


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