The Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association (MMPCIA) will present its 28th Annual Mount Morris Park House Tour: Mount Morris Park Salons ~ The Arts, Music and Soul, Past and Present on Sunday, June 10th in the Mount Morris Park Historic District of Harlem.
At the end of the day, you’re invited to join MMPCIA for refreshments, and an opportunity to meet the artist, Louis Del Sarte ~ creator of the mosaic “Spirit of Harlem.”
Salons are a gathering of people, typically of varied creative backgrounds, under the roof of an inspiring host. They are cultural events, with a focus on literature, art or discussion. During the Harlem Renaissance, the Harlem Salon was a gathering of the nation’s most gifted and creative thinkers.
Today, Harlem is home again to a wealth of creative people, places and indeed Salons. Stops on the tour include a home that greets you with two grand pianos. In the home are ancient statuettes, renaissance prints, modern movement photographs, old master drawings, and throne-like 17th century Venetian chairs. A wing added to the home in the 1920s is filled, floor to ceiling, with thousands of books ~ the perfect setting for a Literary Salon. Other attractions along the tour include a home with a kitchen built in Denmark, leading to an oasis of a backyard complete with fire pit and sculpture. Stroll through places where art, music and design intersect representing how present-day Salons continue to be a key element of the neighborhood’s historic authenticity.
“As Harlem continues to evolve culturally, we want to make sure that we embrace what historically has made Harlem unique and extraordinary. The Harlem Salons have played a significant role in fostering, nurturing and promoting some of our most celebrated creative talent, making these iconic gatherings some of the most significant contributors to the historical record and creative legacy of the African American people. We are thrilled to highlight locations right here in the Mount Morris Historic District that continue this important tradition,” said Syderia Asberry-Chresfield, president of the MMPCIA.
In addition to the self-guided tours, visitors can also opt for guided tours led by local Harlem Architectural Historians, Michael Henry Adams and John Reddick. Adams will offer an architectural walking tour throughout the Mount Morris Historic District; while Reddick will give a walk, and talk about the Jewish life of the early 20th century, which forged an era of musical collaboration between blacks and jews.
The 28th Annual Mount Morris Park House Tour will be held on Sunday, June 10th from 11am to 4pm. The Tour begins at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 230 Lenox Avenue (Malcolm X Blvd) at West 122nd Street. Arriving by subway, take the #2 or #3 to 125th Street and walk south three short blocks.
We will continue to add more information about the Tour on this site, as we receive it.
Lunch? Lenox Avenue is one of Harlem’s Restaurant Rows. Lots of restaurants + shopping to choose from.
While you’re in Harlem, walk over to Marcus Garvey Park, which extends from 120th-124th Streets between Mount Morris Park West and Madison Avenue.
Want more in Harlem? Check out GothamInHarlem.