Walter’s World: Remembering Jimmy

By Walter Rutledge August 2, 2010 marked the eighty-sixth birthday of James Baldwin. For the second year in a row the Faison Firehouse Theater has chosen to step to the forefront and present Remembering Jimmy– a tribute to the late James Baldwin. Last year the celebration was a forum with colleagues and contemporaries, and family…

Interview: Harlem’s Max Rodriguez Harlem Book Fair

By Janee Nesbitt Max Rodriguez is the founder and publisher of QBR The Black Book Review, a national literature review that focuses on authors in the African Diaspora. He is the founder and director of Harlem Book Fair (HBF), the nation’s largest African-American book festival and publisher of HBF publishing, who collaborates with Author Solutions,…

Michael Jackson’s A Legacy of Music

by Claude Jay “Just call my name, and I’ll be there”, these lyrics Michael sang from an early hit, “I’ll Be There”, recorded with his brother The Jackson Five. Michael Jackson passed away on June 25, 2009, however, we continue to call his name loud and clear because he was there in our lives with…

Dr. Jeff Gardere on VH1’s “Dad Camp”

Last Father’s Day, President Obama challenged young men to step up as fathers, asking them to recognize that their “responsibility does not end at conception.” VH1 and 3 Ball Productions are taking that call to heart with the new series “Dad Camp,” which tasks a small group of young fathers-to-be to step up and become…

Oscar Micheaux Stamp Unveiling in Harlem

The 33rd stamp in the Black Heritage series honors pio­neering filmmaker Oscar Micheaux (1884-1951) wrote, directed, produced, and distributed more than 40 movies during the first half of the 20th century. An ambitious, larger-than-life figure, Micheaux thrived at a time when African-American filmmakers were rare, venues for their work were scarce, and support from the…

AIDS, Identity And Legacy In Contemporary Gay History

By Tod Roulette In 1986, I was a fledging openly gay black man on an overwhelmingly white college campus in the Midwest. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Constant Contact Use. Please leave this field blank.By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent…

Madam C.J. Walker

Madam C.J. Walker (December 23, 1867 – May 25, 1919) was an African-American businesswoman, hair care entrepreneur and philanthropist. She made her fortune by developing and marketing a hugely successful line of beauty and hair products for black women, under the company she founded, Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for…

Dr. Nelson: Empowerment Through Knowledge Is Key!

By Dr. Randi Nelson Knowledge is power and yes that may be a well worn cliché but it can not be more applicable and important as it now especially regarding healthcare. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Constant Contact Use. Please leave this field blank.By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive…

What To Do In Home During Black History Month

(Depending on where you live) in February is brutal. What to do? Stay in for a change and watch movies! Or … boot up your computer or grab your iPhone and start watching The Documentary Channel online when it celebrates Black History Month every Wednesday in February by telecasting rarely seen documentaries related to African…

HW Picks: New Holiday Releases

New Music Picks By HW Music Editor Pro Paul Kim Join Paul Kim, the American Idol 2006 Top 12 Finalist on his musical serenade of love and admiration. PK’s debut international single “Trade It All” is produced by John The XVI. Allow this powerful singer/songwriter to impress you with his seasoned voice and entertain you…

Strivers Row

Strivers’ Row is three rows of townhouses in western Harlem, in the New York City borough of Manhattan on West 138th and West 139th between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and Frederick Douglass Boulevard. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Constant Contact Use. Please leave this field blank.By submitting this form, you are…

Mount Morris Park

Mount Morris Park Historic District was designated a historic district by New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1971. It is a large 16-block area in west central Harlem. The boundaries are West 118th and West 124th Streets, Fifth Avenue, and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard (Seventh Avenue). “Doctor’s Row” comprises the nearby stretch of…

Sugar Hill

Sugar Hill is a historic district in the northern part of the Hamilton Heights section of Harlem in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Constant Contact Use. Please leave this field blank.By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can…

East Harlem

East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem and El Barrio, is the eastern section of Harlem located in the northeastern extremity of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Constant Contact Use. Please leave this field blank.By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing…

Morningside Heights

Morningside Heights is a neighborhood of the Borough of Manhattan in New York City and is chiefly known as the home of institutions such as Columbia University, Teachers College, Barnard College, the Manhattan School of Music, Bank Street College of Education, “Grant’s Tomb”, the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, the Riverside Church, the Broadway…