Dining With Miss Lil: Minton’s Playhouse is a Must

The last time I was in Minton’s Playhouse was in May 2012.  With the permission of the owner of the space New York businessman Richard Parsons, Jazzmobile, Inc. hosted jazz music here as part of their contribution to the Harlem Jazz Shrines Festival 2012. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to…

The Harlem Rens, 1922 (video)

This is the greatest basketball team you have never heard of, a team so dominant that in one season it won 112 games and lost only seven. It was a team that won championships despite never being officially accepted professionally or socially. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem…

Black Fives History Of Basketball At The New York Historical Society

The Black Fives exhibition (on view at the New-York Historical Society March 14 — July 20, 2014) will explore the pioneering history of the African American basketball teams that existed in New York City and elsewhere from the early 1900s through 1950, the year the National Basketball Association became racially integrated. Become a Harlem Insider!…

Harlem’s Renaissance Casino, 1924

The Harlem Renaissance Ballroom opened in 1923. The casino was built by the black-owned Sarco Realty Company. The Ballroom at 138th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard, quaked with the frenzied rhythms of the Lindy Hop. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem World Magazine Example: Yes, I…

Yolande’s Yard: Homegoings in Harlem (video)

By Yolande Brener Christine Turner’s documentary, “Homegoings,” examines the work of funeral director, Isaiah Owens, a man who laughs and cries with his customers, who in turn trust him to lighten their time of loss. Owens Funeral Home, based in Harlem and Branchville is the place “where beauty softens your grief. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up…

Zelda Barbour Wynn Valdes, The Great, 1905 – 2001

Before she created the original, legendary Playboy Bunny outfit, Zelda Barbour Wynn Valdes (June 28, 1905 – September 26, 2001), designed for divas like Dorothy Dandridge and she created the stage costumes for the Dance Theater of Harlem. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem World Magazine Example: Yes,…

Begin Your Journey to a Healthier Heart

By William Gillespie, M.D. The heart is one of the most important organs, responsible for nearly everything that gives the body life, including the transportation of oxygen and the strength of the immune system. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem World Magazine Example: Yes, I would like to…

Souleo: Black Fashion Designers Need Help Too

In the past few years the lack of diversity on fashion runways has garnered mainstream attention through activists such as legendary model, Bethann Hardison. 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…

Today’s Black Literary World With Omar Tyree (Part 1)

By Eartha Watts-Hicks In the 1990s, thanks to the cross-cultural success of Terry McMillan’s legendary and timeless novel—Waiting to Exhale—the publishing industry finally woke up and welcomed contemporary African-American writers into their doors. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our Newsletter *Select list(s) to subscribe toHarlem World Magazine Example: Yes, I would like to receive…

Rangel To Host Event On Black History

Congressman Charles B. Rangel will be hosting the event “A Conversation About Black History.” The event will feature a presentation by former Ambassador to the United Nations, Sujay Johnson Cook, and Herb Boyd of Amsterdam News, who will participate in the discussion and answer questions from the audience. Become a Harlem Insider! Sign-Up for our…

Black Spending Empowering The Film Industry

By Keith Forest 2014 is proving to be yet another blockbuster year for theatrical releases catered towards African American audiences.  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. Please leave…

The Hotel Olga, Race Retreat Of The Harlem Renaissance, 1920

In December, 1920, Ed H. Wilson opened a small hotel, the Hotel Olga (which was once called McAvoy’s Saloon), expressly for Harlem’s African-American clientele. 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…