Today, I had lunch on Lenox Ave/Malcolm X Blvd. I thought I would go the cherished Syvia's or Red Rooster, but end up going to a place that was more veggie friendly called "Lenox Sapphire" across the street from these soul food hubs. Then, I headed to the Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture where I spent most of the afternoon researching the Harlem Renassiance. On the way, I stopped by Revolution Books and chopped it up with a local poet. It was fun to connect with a local writer.
Revolution Books: Met local poet David Ellis
I learned a lot at the Schoemberg Center and wished I had made an appointment in the archives department, but next time! They had a cool Black Power exhibit and a media room where they were playing a documentary on Black "Exploitation" films. I didn't know that the stars and producers in the industry didn't like that term and that the NAACP had coined it.
Thank you Schomburg Center security guard for this pose idea. I'm so grateful for all of the random photographers helping me to document my solo travel experience. :-)
After I left the Schomburg, I headed to the museum mile for a meet up. I met some really fun natives of Harlem. Number one, I think it's amazing that they even have a thing such as a museum mile in Harlem. Number two, the organizer for the meetup was also from Arkansas. He's a North Little Rock native who moved here four years ago. So, it was like meeting up with someone from home and was nice to share our Little Rock connection.
Meet up on museum mile in Harlem, NY
The meet up was a museum festival, and several of museums had free admission. The line was super long at the Met museum, but our meet up group ventured into the smaller City New York museum. The festival also featured performances from Boys & Girls Club Harbor (video here) and a salsa band, as the opening for the festival was in front of Museo Del Barrio. The performances were a perfect set up for my hip hop origins tour tomorrow.
I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's hip hop history tour. Then, on to Chicago!
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