Harlem is New York City’s most iconic African American neighborhood. The anchor of Upper Manhattan is famous for its creativity, nightlife, and cultural influence on America and the world.
Things To Do in Harlem
African American Day Parade Honors African Americans in Government
ADAM CLAYTON POWELL JR. BLVD, Harlem, Manhattan 🇺🇸
Visibility and Resistance is an Exhibition of Afro-Mexican Photography That Examines Multicultural Identity Between Candelaria and Guadalupe
SCHOMBURG CENTER, Harlem, Manhattan 🇲🇽 🇸🇳
Harlem Week Celebrates Black Culture in the Home of the Harlem Renaissance Which Defined American Culture
HARLEM, CENTRAL PARK, MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, Manhattan 🇺🇸
Camille A. Brown Curates and Dances Black Joy at Harlem Stage
HARLEM STAGE, Manhattanville, West Harlem, Manhattan 🇺🇸
Juneteenth Parade and Street Fair in Harlem Celebrates All American Freedom Day
116TH STREET, Harlem, Manhattan 🇺🇸
Charlie Parker Jazz Festival Makes August Hot
MARCUS GARVEY PARK, Harlem 🇺🇸
TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK, East Village 🇺🇸 🇨🇲
Photoville, the Outdoor Photo Exhibition in All Five Boroughs, Captures New York City’s Diverse International Spirit
BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK, Brooklyn Heights 🇺🇸 🇨🇴 🇵🇭 🇫🇷 🇮🇹 🇲🇽 🇳🇬 🇵🇪 🇵🇹 🇻🇪
nora chipaumire “ShebeenDUB” World Premiere Tryptich Nehanda Radio Opera, ShebeenDUB Performance, and DUB Dance Party at Harlem Stage
HARLEM STAGE, Manhattanville, West Harlem, Manhattan 🇿🇼 🇺🇸
Harlem Sponsors
- Ballet Hispánico 🇨🇺 🇲🇽 🇵🇷
- Harlem Stage 🇺🇸
Thank you for sponsoring Black and Latin culture in Harlem.
Harlem News
Cultural Venues in Harlem
About Harlem, Manhattan
Harlem’s boundaries are roughly:
155th St
Hudson River | Harlem | Fifth Avenue
110th St (Central Park North)
West Harlem is in the heights of Manhattanville, Hamilton Heights, and Sugar Hill. East Harlem is “El Barrio” which used to be called “Spanish Harlem.” Fifth Avenue is the traditional border.
Harlem Streets
North/south avenues have different names in Harlem.
- Malcolm X Blvd, or Lenox Avenue, is Sixth Avenue.
- Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd is Seventh Avenue.
- Frederick Douglass Blvd is Eighth Avenue.
125th Street, Harlem’s main street, is anchored by the Apollo Theater. 125th and Malcolm X Blvd is a lively night spot. Red Rooster, Sylvia’s, and Maysles are nearby.
116th St is another main street with West African and Latin communities west and east of Malcolm X/Lenox/Sixth Ave.
In Harlem
The 125th St BID (Business Improvement District) promotes business and culture. Check their events calendar before you go. harlembid.com
These are some of Harlem’s cultural venues.
Art
- Studio Museum in Harlem collects art of the Africa Diaspora. In 2024, its new building is under construction.
Books
- Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is part of the New York Public Library. Arturo Schomburg was a Puerto Rican collector of the Black Arts during the Harlem Renaissance.
Dance
- Aaron Davis Hall is the performing arts center at City College of New York.
- Dance Theatre of Harlem is the world’s first Black ballet company. It is one of New York’s leading dance companies, and and a community anchor.
Fashion
- 125th St has lots of contemporary fashion.
- Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market is a lovely market for clothes and products from Mother Africa. It’s another world.
Festivals
- African American Day Parade is a chance to show Black Pride, teach our kids our traditions, and connect with politicians and community organizations.
- Harlem Week is a celebration of African Diaspora culture.
- Harlem Juneteenth Parade and Street Fair celebrates All American Freedom Day. 🇺🇸
Film
- Harlem International Film Festival brings film to Harlem and Harlem to the film community.
- Maysles Documentary Center is non-profit cinema that empowers young Harlem filmmakers with a film community.
- New York African Film Festival usually screens some of its African and Diaspora films at Maysles.
Food
- Red Rooster is the restaurant of Marcus Samuelsson, the Ethiopian-born, Swedish-American celebrity chef. The food is amazing and DJs spin on weekend nights.
- Sylvia’s is a legendary place for home food, soul food.
Music
- Abyssinian Baptist Church is famous for its gospel music.
- Apollo Theater is the anchor of Harlem. Amateur Night at the Apollo launched many legendary careers. “Be Good or Be Gone.”
- Aaron Davis Hall is the performing arts center at City College of New York.
- Harlem Stage is a performing arts center for visionary artists of color.
- Minton’s Playhouse is the room where bebop modern jazz was born.
- National Jazz Museum preserves and presents jazz, America’s music.
Parades in Harlem
- The African American Day Parade is on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd in Harlem, Manhattan; on the third Sunday in September. 🇺🇸
Harlem Renaissance
Harlem is iconic in African American culture.
The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 30s defined the Jazz Age and American culture.
The Harlem Renaissance 2.0 was the Black Arts Movement of the 1960-70s.
The Harlem Renaissance 3.0, another flowering of Black Arts is now. RIP George Floyd, and know that you changed the world.
What happens in the Black community soon echoes into the Latin community, and we riff back and forth off each other like rappers.
Visit Harlem
Subways
(1)(2)(3), (A)(C), (B)(D)
Trains
Danbury, Harlem, and Hudson lines stop at 125th St.