Culture, Creativity & Care Initiative Unveiled in Marcus Garvey Park ~ Sankofa

 

 

 

 

A work in progress, visiting Jerome Haferd’s ‘Sakofa’ with Connie Lee, President, Art Lives Here, Inc., June 16th in Marcus Garvey Park.

Marcus Garvey Park, which is adjacent to both Harlem and East Harlem, was the lucky recipient of a Mellon Foundation Humanities in Place Initiative, with a focus on fostering creativity and care in essential public space.

Administered through Harlem Grown, The Culture, Creativity & Care Initiative will be a two-year project, amplifying Harlem’s rich history and culture, along with its plethora of talented residents, from visual and performing arts to culture and food Programming, unveiling on June 18, 2023 with a ribbon cutting ceremony and artist talks from 2-5pm.

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Getting Ready for Summer 2023, Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem is in the News

 

 

 

Marcus Garvey Park w/view of the Acropolis & historic Harlem Fire Watchtower in the background, the current art installation by Art Lives Here on the great lawn, artist Reuben Sinha: Breathing. Madison Ave side near 123rd Street.

Sitting in on the recent CB 11 meeting, Jana La Sorte, the Administrator of Historic Harlem Parks, gave an update on a plethora of good news happening in Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem.

The Park, which runs from 120th Street to 124th Street, and from Madison Avenue to Mount Morris Park West, is the home to the historic Harlem Fire Watchtower, the Harlem Drummers, the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, a swimming pool, and from what we heard in this meeting, it may be the new home of Harlem Eat Up!

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Harlem Grown Announces $1.3M Mellon Foundation Grant to Support Programs in Marcus Garvey Park

 

 

 

Marcus Garvey Park w/view of the Acropolis & historic Harlem Fire Watchtower in the background, the current art installation by Art Lives Here on the great lawn, artist Reuben Sinha: Breathing. Madison Ave side near 123rd Street. October 2022.

If you take Fifth Avenue Uptown, You will have a pleasant pause at 120th Street, where you will be greeted by an entrance to Marcus Garvey Park ~ Harlem to the West and East Harlem to the East. The Park spans from 120th Street to 124th Street, and from Mt. Morris Park West to Madison Avenue.

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Questlove’s Documentary ‘Summer of Soul’ Sprints From Sundance & the Big Screen to a Broadcast Television….and The Winner of the 2022 Oscar for Documentary (Feature)!

 

 

 

‘Summer of Soul’ image released by Sundance; Sly Stone (Sly and the Family Stone) Mt Morris Park, Harlem

Where were you in 1969?  If you were in Harlem, chances are you were either in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park) or heard about the Harlem Cultural Festival ~ a summer of free outdoor concerts held on Sunday.

Read a Behind the Scenes article about the archivist who saved the historic footage.

Interview of Questlove by PBS NewsHour in Marcus Garvey Park for Canvas.

Behind the Summer of Soul, a panel discussion, will take place on November 11, 2021 at Museum of the City of New York.

Digital and DVD Release Date set for February 8, 2022.

And now, a broadcast television premiere on ABC on Sunday, February 20th from 8:00 to 10:30pm.

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Visiting the Reconstructed Harlem Fire Watchtower in Marcus Garvey Park

 

 

 

Image taken October 18, 2019, courtesy of a reader

 

A pop-up visit by Urban Park Rangers visiting the historic Harlem Fire Watchtower prior to resuming tours. Image courtesy Connie Lee, President, Marcus Garvey Park Alliance; Director, Public Art Initiative; Curator, Living With Art Salon, spending some time with the Urban Park Rangers today.

Harlemites and preservationists were delighted to receive the recent news that the historic Harlem Fire Watchtower, removed from the Acropolis overlooking Marcus Garvey Park in 2015 for restoration, would have its unveiling and ribbon-cutting on October 26, 2019.  Prior to COVID-19, the Urban Park Rangers opened the gate and escorted the public up to the top of the Watchtower, giving the public a bit of history and a spectacular view.

The Urban Park Rangers will open the Fire Watchtower for visitors who want to climb to the top (or even just to ring the bell). Check NYC Parks Dept for dates.

Below, a few images and history of the Watchtower as it was dissembled in 2015, and reassembled in 2019.

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