HarlemHistory Desk
The McKissack Blueprint: 200 Years of Black Excellence
Discover the 200-year legacy of McKissack & McKissack and how one Black family built excellence, equity, and generational power across America.
HarlemAmerica Originals Channel Launches Our First Series Black History Month 2026
HarlemAmerica launches the HarlemAmerica Originals Channel with its inaugural Black History Month 2026 series, Wait… A Black Person Invented That?!, spotlighting Black innovators who shaped modern life.
Arturo Schomburg and the Sacred Work of Remembering
As Harlem faces the pressures of economic change, the Schomburg Center remains a stabilizing force. It is a place where ancestors speak, where scholars gather, and where community memory is treated as sacred infrastructure.
Indigenous Harlem - Unceded Ground, Shared Futures
Beneath Harlem’s pulse lies a story older than the Renaissance — the unceded Lenape homeland and the shared struggles of Indigenous and African peoples who built it. Together, they’re shaping Harlem’s next chapter: one of remembrance, healing, and solidarity.
Men of Bronze - The Unbroken Legacy of the Harlem Hellfighters
The Harlem Hellfighters — Black and Puerto Rican heroes who fought racism with courage and changed the world with jazz. Their valor on the battlefield and their rhythm in the streets redefined Harlem’s global legacy and the very meaning of American heroism.
Legacy and Atonement - The Million Man March at 30
Thirty years after the Million Man March brought nearly a million Black men to Washington, D.C., its legacy still echoes in Harlem and beyond. From vows of atonement to grassroots activism, discover how the march’s spirit of unity, responsibility, and renewal continues to inspire new generations.
HARLEM - The Story Of Us - A Visual and Audio Experience
This short film and Spotify playlist captures the heartbeat of Harlem — from the Great Migration to the Harlem Renaissance, from the rhythm of the Savoy to the voices that rose from pulpits, street corners, and stages. It honors the dreamers, the fighters, the artists, the visionaries — those who turned brownstones into beacons and avenues into runways of resistance and pride.
ECHOES Of Freedom
August 23rd is the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition. It is a day of remembrance, yes, but also a call to rise, to reclaim, and to honor the power of survival.
The Schomburg Center: A Century of Soul and Scholarship
In Harlem, history isn’t just remembered, it’s alive. Now, as the Schomburg turns 100, we don’t just mark a milestone, we honor a movement.
Madiba's Enduring Flame: Nelson Mandela's Legacy and His Unbreakable Bond with Harlem
When Nelson Mandela stepped onto the streets of Harlem in 1990, it wasn't just the arrival of a global statesman. It was the return of a long-lost brother. This month we remind you of that connection.
Unbought and Unbossed . . . Shirley Chisholm
In honor of Women's History Month we document a legacy of revolutionary leadership, courageous advocacy, and everlasting empowerment is Shirley Chisholm's political legacy.
The Top Black Innovators of the 1900's and Beyond
These innovators were pivotal in defining the contemporary world via their contributions to fields as diverse as healthcare and technology.
Medical Breakthroughs Made Possible by Black Excellence
Throughout history, African American medical professionals and researchers have made significant contributions to the field of medicine, often in the face of adversity and systemic racism.
Never Forget "RED SUMMER 1919"
The "Red Summer" of 1919 was a time of widespread racial unrest, rioting, and civic unrest that hit several American cities to the core.
Unsung Champions of Equality: Remembering Forgotten Civil Rights Heroes
Without public recognition, innumerable unsung heroes and heroines toiled away, sometimes at great personal danger and in the face of injustice, to advance the cause of civil rights. Here we highlight a few of these unsung heroes whose efforts were just as important as those of the more famous people of the time, who unfortunately tend to get more attention.
The Events That Shaped Our Present African-American Reality
There have been watershed moments and major accomplishments for the African American community in the past sixty years. These moments have altered the trajectory of history, elevated civil rights, and cleared the path for advancement. . .
Hip-Hop's Founding Mother -Sylvia Robinson
The creator of Sugar Hill Records, Sylvia Robinson, is profiled in this essay along with the imprint's enormous contributions to the growth and acceptance of hip-hop music.
How Black Innovators Have Shaped Our World
Join us in celebrating some amazing people. Here are some of the ways that Black innovators have shaped our world, from toys to traffic lights.
Our Favorite Harlem Books
Here are some of our favorite books influenced by Harlem. Which one are you picking first?
The History of Black Entrepreneurship
What does the history of Black entrepreneurship look like? Let’s take a look at the last hundred years of Black-owned business.
Brotherhood of the Sleeping Car Porters
After the Civil War, George Pullman’s company became the largest employer of African Americans in the country. But his refusal to pay his porters a fair wage created a different legacy: the Brotherhood of the Sleeping Car Porters, the first African American-led labor organization to receive a charter from the American Federation of Labor.
Best Places to Experience Black History Landmarks
In this age of mass documentation, it’s important to look back and see how far we’ve come. Here are some important places where Black history has been documented and memorialized.
August 28th: A Powerful Day for Black History
In 2016, prominent Black filmmaker Ava DuVernay (Selma, Queen Sugar producer) created a short documentary film as the Orientation film for Washington, D.C.’s Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
This Month’s Featured Articles
FeaturedHarlemBusinessHarlemHistory
Discover the 200-year legacy of McKissack & McKissack and how one Black family built excellence, equity, and generational power across America.
African and African American models are redefining global fashion power in 2026, leading runways, campaigns, and cultural change across the industry.
Black History Month 2026 FeatureFeaturedHarlemEntertainmentHarlemHistory
HarlemAmerica launches the HarlemAmerica Originals Channel with its inaugural Black History Month 2026 series, Wait… A Black Person Invented That?!, spotlighting Black innovators who shaped modern life.
HarlemHistory Desk
The McKissack Blueprint: 200 Years of Black Excellence
Discover the 200-year legacy of McKissack & McKissack and how one Black family built excellence, equity, and generational power across America.
HarlemAmerica Originals Channel Launches Our First Series Black History Month 2026
HarlemAmerica launches the HarlemAmerica Originals Channel with its inaugural Black History Month 2026 series, Wait… A Black Person Invented That?!, spotlighting Black innovators who shaped modern life.
Arturo Schomburg and the Sacred Work of Remembering
As Harlem faces the pressures of economic change, the Schomburg Center remains a stabilizing force. It is a place where ancestors speak, where scholars gather, and where community memory is treated as sacred infrastructure.
Indigenous Harlem - Unceded Ground, Shared Futures
Beneath Harlem’s pulse lies a story older than the Renaissance — the unceded Lenape homeland and the shared struggles of Indigenous and African peoples who built it. Together, they’re shaping Harlem’s next chapter: one of remembrance, healing, and solidarity.
Men of Bronze - The Unbroken Legacy of the Harlem Hellfighters
The Harlem Hellfighters — Black and Puerto Rican heroes who fought racism with courage and changed the world with jazz. Their valor on the battlefield and their rhythm in the streets redefined Harlem’s global legacy and the very meaning of American heroism.
Legacy and Atonement - The Million Man March at 30
Thirty years after the Million Man March brought nearly a million Black men to Washington, D.C., its legacy still echoes in Harlem and beyond. From vows of atonement to grassroots activism, discover how the march’s spirit of unity, responsibility, and renewal continues to inspire new generations.
HARLEM - The Story Of Us - A Visual and Audio Experience
This short film and Spotify playlist captures the heartbeat of Harlem — from the Great Migration to the Harlem Renaissance, from the rhythm of the Savoy to the voices that rose from pulpits, street corners, and stages. It honors the dreamers, the fighters, the artists, the visionaries — those who turned brownstones into beacons and avenues into runways of resistance and pride.
ECHOES Of Freedom
August 23rd is the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition. It is a day of remembrance, yes, but also a call to rise, to reclaim, and to honor the power of survival.
The Schomburg Center: A Century of Soul and Scholarship
In Harlem, history isn’t just remembered, it’s alive. Now, as the Schomburg turns 100, we don’t just mark a milestone, we honor a movement.
Madiba's Enduring Flame: Nelson Mandela's Legacy and His Unbreakable Bond with Harlem
When Nelson Mandela stepped onto the streets of Harlem in 1990, it wasn't just the arrival of a global statesman. It was the return of a long-lost brother. This month we remind you of that connection.
Unbought and Unbossed . . . Shirley Chisholm
In honor of Women's History Month we document a legacy of revolutionary leadership, courageous advocacy, and everlasting empowerment is Shirley Chisholm's political legacy.
The Top Black Innovators of the 1900's and Beyond
These innovators were pivotal in defining the contemporary world via their contributions to fields as diverse as healthcare and technology.
Medical Breakthroughs Made Possible by Black Excellence
Throughout history, African American medical professionals and researchers have made significant contributions to the field of medicine, often in the face of adversity and systemic racism.
Never Forget "RED SUMMER 1919"
The "Red Summer" of 1919 was a time of widespread racial unrest, rioting, and civic unrest that hit several American cities to the core.
Unsung Champions of Equality: Remembering Forgotten Civil Rights Heroes
Without public recognition, innumerable unsung heroes and heroines toiled away, sometimes at great personal danger and in the face of injustice, to advance the cause of civil rights. Here we highlight a few of these unsung heroes whose efforts were just as important as those of the more famous people of the time, who unfortunately tend to get more attention.
The Events That Shaped Our Present African-American Reality
There have been watershed moments and major accomplishments for the African American community in the past sixty years. These moments have altered the trajectory of history, elevated civil rights, and cleared the path for advancement. . .
Hip-Hop's Founding Mother -Sylvia Robinson
The creator of Sugar Hill Records, Sylvia Robinson, is profiled in this essay along with the imprint's enormous contributions to the growth and acceptance of hip-hop music.
How Black Innovators Have Shaped Our World
Join us in celebrating some amazing people. Here are some of the ways that Black innovators have shaped our world, from toys to traffic lights.
Our Favorite Harlem Books
Here are some of our favorite books influenced by Harlem. Which one are you picking first?
The History of Black Entrepreneurship
What does the history of Black entrepreneurship look like? Let’s take a look at the last hundred years of Black-owned business.
Brotherhood of the Sleeping Car Porters
After the Civil War, George Pullman’s company became the largest employer of African Americans in the country. But his refusal to pay his porters a fair wage created a different legacy: the Brotherhood of the Sleeping Car Porters, the first African American-led labor organization to receive a charter from the American Federation of Labor.
Best Places to Experience Black History Landmarks
In this age of mass documentation, it’s important to look back and see how far we’ve come. Here are some important places where Black history has been documented and memorialized.
August 28th: A Powerful Day for Black History
In 2016, prominent Black filmmaker Ava DuVernay (Selma, Queen Sugar producer) created a short documentary film as the Orientation film for Washington, D.C.’s Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
This Month’s Featured Articles
FeaturedHarlemBusinessHarlemHistory
Discover the 200-year legacy of McKissack & McKissack and how one Black family built excellence, equity, and generational power across America.
African and African American models are redefining global fashion power in 2026, leading runways, campaigns, and cultural change across the industry.
Black History Month 2026 FeatureFeaturedHarlemEntertainmentHarlemHistory
HarlemAmerica launches the HarlemAmerica Originals Channel with its inaugural Black History Month 2026 series, Wait… A Black Person Invented That?!, spotlighting Black innovators who shaped modern life.