Harlem History & Contemporary Art Tour

This tour is free with voluntary donation to your organizer Hank Orenstein.

Note that the walk begins at 11:30am in front of the library and I suggest arriving no later than 11:00am to see some of the exhibits - and earlier if you wish. The library opens at 10:00am, free admission and there are restrooms.

This guided walk features a comprehensive overview of Harlem's rich history from Dutch Nieuw Haarlem in the 1600's through the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920's and 30's to what's happening today. Stops include the original swing street, St. Nicholas Historic District, the famous Apollo Theater, historic churches and Harlem Hospital, which saved Martin Luther King's Life on Sept. 20, 1958 preserving the Civil Rights Movement.

We'll walk from Central Harlem meeting at the extraordinary Schomburg Center Library to take in the three exhibits there which span painting and photography: https://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/schomburg

Manhattanville has its own unique character and history as an industrial area and village that was established in the year 1806 -- and now where Columbia University is establishing its new campus. Manhattanville also played a role NYC's dairy industry, helping to save the lives of hundreds of thousands of children by improving the quality of milk processing.

This last portion of the walk features a visit to Wallach Art Gallery at Columbia's new Lenfest Center for the Arts featuring Contemporary Art from the north African nation of Algeria and the intimate Ki Smith Gallery, with it current exhibit "Somnambulist".

https://wallach.columbia.edu/ https://www.kismithgallery.com/

We’ll also uncover the origin of some of Manhattanville’s streets like Old Broadway and end near 125th Street and Broadway where there is easy access to public transportation (#1 subway and buses to the East Side), as well as options for brunch or lunch.