Take The A Train Walking Tour II: Central Harlem
The walking tour of the Central Harlem–West 130th–132nd Streets Historic District, led by architectural historian John Reddick and Save Harlem Now’s Executive Director Claudette Brady, offers a cohesive architectural journey through the late 19th-century speculative building boom that defined Central Harlem. The district is notable for its remarkably intact collection of residential row houses, showcasing popular architectural styles of the era. Visitors will see prime examples of Neo-Grec style, characterized by its classical ornament and incised details, alongside houses designed in the Queen Anne, Renaissance Revival, and Romanesque Revival styles. This visual consistency provides a powerful backdrop that is representative of Central Harlem’s residential development and sets the scene for the rich history that unfolded within its walls.
Beyond its distinctive architecture, this historic district holds immense social, cultural, and political significance, having been home to key figures and organizations that shaped 20th-century American history. From the Harlem Renaissance through the Civil Rights era of the 1960s, the community’s primarily residential buildings were adapted to foster civic and cultural life. Notable sites include the headquarters of the New Amsterdam Musical Association (NAMA), the home of Scott Joplin, known as the “King of Ragtime,” and the Friendship Baptist Church, which was actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement. The district was also the location of the National Headquarters for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, highlighting its critical contributions to the arts, social justice movement, civil rights movement, music, and entertainment in the United States.
Take the A Train Walking Tour I
In celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the New York City Landmarks Law, Save Harlem Now! and Historic Districts Council invite you to "Take the A Train". Two walking tours will explore the unique architectural and cultural history of Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant. Originally built in the late 19th century as grand brownstones and row houses for a burgeoning white middle and upper-middle class, but later became the foundation for two of America’s most iconic African American communities.
The extension of the A Train created a powerful "push-pull" dynamic, allowing the Black population to grow exponentially in Bed-Stuyvesant while enabling residents to maintain essential social and economic ties to Harlem, thus creating a lasting connection between two of America's most significant Black cultural communities.
Take the A Train Part I: Bedford-Stuyvesant will take place on Saturday, October 25 at 2pm and will be lead by popular tour guides Suzanne Spellen, writer and architectural historian, aka columnist “Montrose Morris” on Brownstoner.com, and Morgan Munsey, architect, historian, and expert on the architecture of Bedford Stuyvesant.
Event Details
Location: Girls Highs School, 475 Nostrand Avenue
Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025
Time: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Ticket Price: $15 ($10 for Members / Seniors / Students)
Harlem As An Incubator
Join us, While We Are Still Here, East Harlem Preservation and Teachers College Columbia University for Capturing the Black Imagination: Harlem As An Incubator and immerse yourself in a day of roundtables, presentations, discussions and workshops.
Date: Saturday, October 18, 2025
Time: 9:15 AM to 5:15 PM
Admission: FREE
Educators’ Networking & Planning Lunch: $20
For CTLE Registrants Only
For more information, including schedule and registration, visit: https://harlemasanincubator.org/
While We Are Still Here, East Harlem Preservation and Teacher College Columbia University.
Ballot Measures Webinar
Mayor Adams’ Dangerous Ballot Measures, and Why You Should Vote NO in November
FRIENDS of the Upper East Side is co-sponsoring an upcoming webinar with Andrew Berman, Executive Director of Village Preservation, who will explain the significant impacts of several proposed ballot measures—and why all New Yorkers should be concerned. He'll also discuss how you can take action! A Q&A will follow.
Mayor Adams engineered placing several questions on our ballots this fall which would permanently change our city’s Charter or Constitution. Promoted as “affordable housing” measures, they’d radically change the rules for a slew of development initiatives, many having nothing to do with affordability or even housing. They would permanently disenfranchise communities, roll back democracy, likely result in less affordable housing, and promote worse outcomes for healthy neighborhoods. Even though the Mayor is no longer running, the questions will nevertheless remain on the ballot, and with strong support from real estate and other interests, stand a good chance of passing. If they do, they will permanently bypass the legislative branch of NYC government on a whole host of important land use decisions, disempowering communities and making it easier for powerful forces to manipulate the system to their advantage.
Find more information on the ballot questions on FRIENDS' website and on Village Preservation's website.
Co-sponsored by Village Preservation, the City Club of New York, Midtown South Community Council, Save Chelsea, SoHo Alliance, East Village Community Coalition, Lower East Side Preservation Initiative, Bowery Alliance of Neighbors, Broadway Residents Coalition, and Friends of the Upper East Side.
Event Details
Location: Zoom Webinar
*Pre-registration required; link provided by Village Preservation upon registration.
Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM to 7:15 PM
Ticket Price: FREE VIRTUAL EVENT
East Harlem Walking Tour II
Join Save Harlem Now! for the August East Harlem Walking Tour, a guided journey through East Harlem, where we will explore historic and cultural landmarks that reflect the neighborhood’s deep legacy of art, activism, and resilience.
The tour will start at El Barrio’s Artspace at PS 109, a premier example of the transformation of early public school architecture into vibrant artistic and cultural hubs. The tour will then wind through streets that have long been home to influential thinkers, creatives, and community builders. Along the way, participants will observe iconic murals, visit local sites, and engage with stories that highlight East Harlem’s enduring contributions to the city’s cultural fabric.
The tour will conclude at the Harlem African Burial Ground, a sacred site that anchors the neighborhood’s past and informs its future.
East Harlem Walking Tour I
Join Save Harlem Now! for the July East Harlem Walking Tour, a guided journey through East Harlem, where we will explore historic and cultural landmarks that reflect the neighborhood’s deep legacy of art, activism, and resilience.
The tour will start at El Barrio’s Artspace at PS 109, a premier example of the transformation of early public school architecture into vibrant artistic and cultural hubs. The tour will then wind through streets that have long been home to influential thinkers, creatives, and community builders. Along the way, participants will observe iconic murals, visit local sites, and engage with stories that highlight East Harlem’s enduring contributions to the city’s cultural fabric.
The tour will conclude at the Harlem African Burial Ground, a sacred site that anchors the neighborhood’s past and informs its future.
Sacred Sites Open House 2025
Save Harlem Now! is a co-sponsor of the New York Landmarks Conservancy's 15th Annual Sacred Sites Open House, taking place at various and locations on May 17-18th 2025.
Our theme is “Building for Eternity: Religious Architecture and Artisans”, and participating congregations will showcase their buildings and histories through guided tours, lectures, and musical performances.
Landmark West! presents Hirschfeld
Landmark West! is celebrating its 40th Anniversary with an in-person event: Hirschfeld on the Upper West Side on Wed., April 23, at 6pm, with David Leopold of the Al Hirschfeld Foundation on the history and creativity of one of the greatest caricaturists of the 20th century. Leopold tells Hirschfeld’s UWS story through his famous illustrations of the people, places and productions related to the West Side—from Hell's Kitchen up to Morningside Heights.
There will be beloved drawings plus backstories and personal tales of Hirschfeld’s life, art, and friendships with his many celebrity subjects.
Save Harlem Now! members: Check your email for a special discount code!
Event Details
Location: Church of St. Matthew and St. Timothy, 26 W. 84th Street
Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Ticket Price/General Admission: $30.00 + $2/fee
2025 Mayoral Candidates Forum with Preservation Organizations
Save Harlem Now!, Village Preservation and fellow preservation organizations from across NYC are hosting a forum via Zoom with Mayoral candidates on Monday, March 24 at 6 pm.
This is the ONLY Mayoral candidate forum focused on preservation and development issues, and we strongly urge you to attend — to learn more about the candidates, and to let them know that New Yorkers care about preserving our city and our neighborhoods.
Sista Zock Celebrates Black History @ Minton’s Playhouse
Celebrate Black History Month with Sista Zock as she takes you on a historic journey through jazz at Minton’s Playhouse, a venue that has long been a sanctuary for musical innovation and Black cultural expression.
Langston Hughes' Evening of Spoken Word & Jazz
Enjoy live jazz, evocative spoken word performances, and the unique ambiance of this historic venue. Light bites and cocktails will be served to enhance the evening's festivities.
East Harlem Walking Tour: A Journey Through Architecture, Culture and History
Join Friends of the Upper Eastside Historic Districts and Save Harlem Now! for a walking tour through the vibrant streets of East Harlem, led by Save Harlem Now! Executive Director Claudette Brady.
Discover the rich architectural and cultural tapestry of "El Barrio," exploring its enduring legacy and vibrant present. Immerse yourself in the diverse influences that have shaped East Harlem, from its early immigrant roots to its prominence as a hub of Puerto Rican and Latino culture. Come ready to walk, learn, and experience this iconic neighborhood firsthand!
14th Annual Sacred Sites Open House
The New York Landmarks Conservancy’s 14th annual Sacred Sites Open House takes place May 18-19th 2024.
This year’s theme is “Welcoming our Neighbors”, where participating congregations will showcase their buildings and histories through guided tours, lectures, and musical performances.
Schedule your tour for St. James Presbyterian Church!
Artists, Oddballs & Provocateurs: East Village Since the 1950s
On this tour, we’ll tell you the story of the East Village since the 1950s, focusing on the many subcultures that took root and flourished here, and on the nightlife that continues to draw people to this day!
Upper Manhattan Landmarks Preservation Committee: Save Harlem Now and the Central Harlem Historic District
Save Harlem Now! board members Valerie Bradley, Angel Ayón, Roberta Washington, and Rachel Lisa Nickie and moderator Matthew Spady discuss the process of creating the Central Harlem West 130th-132nd Streets Historic District, designated in 2018.
Michael Henry Adams on Preservation and the Underground Railroad
After decades of local activism, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission unanimously voted to designate a small brick home in Brooklyn as an historic landmark. In the mid 19th century, 227 Duffield Street was owned by abolitionist couple Harriet and Thomas Truesdell, and there is reason to believe that their home served as a temporary stop for those escaping slavery on the underground railroad.
A Feminist Walk Through Harlem: Celebrating Remarkable Women
As the city and the nation confront issues of representation and equity in public commemoration, FRIENDS and Save Harlem Now! partnered to sponsor a virtual walk through Harlem. The tour focused on sites publicly celebrating pioneering black and Latina women, and issues surrounding the preservation of such sites.
Announcement: Landmark East Harlem Historic Preservation Workshop
Landmark East Harlem is holding a Historic Preservation Workshop on June 7, 2018 at the Dream Charter High School, 439 East 115th Street. The event is free of charge.
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