Melvin Stanton “Mel” Tapley Of The Amsterdam News

Melvin Stanton “Mel” Tapley was born in New York on May 29, 1918. In the 1920 U.S. Federal Census, the Tapley family of three lived in Cortlandt, New York at 1105 Park Street. His parents were Harry, a chauffeur, and Louise, and his age was recorded as nine months, which would make his birth in…

In Public Housing, Units Languish in Limbo

Two years ago, Chastity Ciprian said she asked about the two top-floor apartments, long vacant in her four-story building at Harlem River Houses, a public-housing project at the northern tip of Manhattan. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem World Magazine Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails…

The ’12 O’Clock Boys’, Glorification Or Documentation? (video)

First the Hell’s Angels and now the 12 O’Clock Boys. Oscilloscope Laboratories presents for first-time filmmaker Lotfy Nathan’s documentary 12 O’Clock Boys, an electric, beautifully made look at a youth in Baltimore who wants nothing more than to join the city’s most notorious urban dirt bike crew. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter…

Bow Wow Special Guest Host Amateur Night: Holiday Special!

Bow Wow (rapper, actor and television host of BET’s 106 & Park) will be special guest host for Amateur Night: Holiday Special! Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem World Magazine Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from Harlem World Magazine. (You can unsubscribe anytime)Constant Contact Use.…

Artist Nate Hill ‘Wears’ White Women As ‘Trophy Scarves’

An East Harlem artist is making a name for himself by draping naked white women across his shoulders, and wearing them as human scarves. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem World Magazine Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from Harlem World Magazine. (You can unsubscribe anytime)Constant…

Sharpton Plans Community Meeting Regarding Slave Grave In The Bronx

Federal scientists using sophisticated ground-penetrating radar have bolstered the findings of Bronx schoolkids and their teacher that a long-forgotten burial ground for Indian and African slaves exists in a city park in Hunts Point. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem World Magazine Example: Yes, I would like to…

Judges Decline to Reverse Stop-and-Frisk Ruling

A federal appeals panel on Friday denied a request by lawyers for New York that it overturn a judge’s sweeping ruling on the Police Department’s stop-and-frisk practices, all but ending the Bloomberg administration’s ability to legally challenge the ruling. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem World Magazine Example:…

Nurse ‘forced to work in psych ward after rejecting boss’: suit

A former Harlem Hospital nurse is suing the city, saying she was forced to work dangerous solo shifts in the psych ward as punishment for repeatedly rejecting a supervisor’s come-ons. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem World Magazine Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from Harlem…

Mount Morris Talks to the redoubtable Michael Henry Adams

From Columbia University’s graduate historic preservation program to the real-world expertise and insights of the well-schooled docent, Michael Henry Adams is a tireless advocate for preserving Harlem’s architecture as well as its culture. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem World Magazine Example: Yes, I would like to receive…

Zoe Zaldana Plays Nina Simone (video)

“Based on a true story” rarely means “based on the whole story” or even “based on the accounts given by the people who were actually there.” In fact, many filmmakers don’t consult with or receive the blessing of the subject of their “true stories” or their families. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter…

Pinehurst, aka Koch’s New Mount St. Vincent’s Hotel

Occasionally one comes across mention of “Koch’s New Mount St. Vincent’s Hotel,” a quasi-rural roadhouse that opened in the vicinity of Hamilton Heights around 1883 or 1884, after the old Mount St. Vincent’s Hotel in Central Park burned down (in 1881) and before the new one opened (in 1884). This operated at least until the…

HW Pick: Battle of Fort Washington

In commemoration of the 237th anniversary of the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Fort Washington, members of the Brigade of the American Revolution will set up camp on Fort Tryon Park’s Cafe Lawn. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem World Magazine Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails…

Walter’s World: Motown The Musical (with video)

By Walter Rutledge After five weeks of previews Motown the Musical officially opened on Sunday, April 14. The show’s book by Berry Gordy is based on his autobiography, To Be Loved: The Music, The Magic, The Memories Of Motown by Berry Gordy, which chronicles his life and the Motown era. Director Charles Randolph-Wright takes us…