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While We Are Still Here-Harlem

@edgecombeavenue

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Preserving Edgecombe Avenue's History in Harlem, New York City - Sugar Hill NYC #wwshnyc
⬇️ Help us preserve our history in Harlem today!

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“Our work is to make Harlem’s history unavoidable. If people aren’t aware of it, they can’t organize around trying to codify that history. So many extraordinary things happened here that people aren’t aware of, so these markers will help to raise awareness of what came before us.”

~Karen D. Taylor, founder of While We Are Still Here

Karen D. Taylor is the founder and executive director of While We Are Still Here, a 501(c)(3) heritage preservation organization that provides humanities and arts programming.

Karen is driven by her passion to bring the cultural history of Harlem to the forefront of now, and to keep it relevant for generations to come.

For more info: https://harlemnyc.org or @edgecombeavenue by @edgecombeavenue

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“Our work is to make Harlem’s history unavoidable. If people aren’t aware of it, they can’t organize around trying to codify that history. So many extraordinary things happened here that people aren’t aware of, so these markers will help to raise awareness of what came before us.”

~Karen D. Taylor, founder of While We Are Still Here

Karen D. Taylor is the founder and executive director of While We Are Still Here, a 501(c)(3) heritage preservation organization that provides humanities and arts programming.

Karen is driven by her passion to bring the cultural history of Harlem to the forefront of now, and to keep it relevant for generations to come.

For more info: @edgecombeavenue by @edgecombeavenue

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Founded by Mildred Johnson Edwards in 1934, The Modern School in Harlem became a center of excellence in education for black children, operating until the late 1990s.

Facing significant racial challenges, Edwards established a school that not only met but exceeded the standards of white schools at the time. Her forward-thinking, child-centered approach to teaching set a standard that would only become widely recognized decades later.

The legacy of The Modern School stands as a powerful testament to what can be achieved with vision, resilience, and community support, inspiring us to overcome challenges and drive positive change.

Visit the Sign of the Times marker located at:
539 West 152nd Street
Harlem, New York

#themodernschool #harlem #nyc #newyorkcity #jrosamondjohnson by @edgecombeavenue

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James Melvin “Jimmie” Lunceford (June 6, 1902 – July 12, 1947) was an African American saxophone player and bandleader. Lunceford created the Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra in 1927 and became known as the "King of Swing."

Lunceford’s orchestra was most influential, known for its showmanship and performance style. The band was famous for its distinctive two-beat rhythm.

This unique sound became known during the Swing era as the Lunceford two-beat.

Because of this distinction, Fats Waller called him the “king of syncopation.”

The band made a name for itself by becoming the house band at the Cotton Club in 1934. The orchestra's dazzling presentation created a lasting impact on recording artist Glenn Miller. Bandleader Tommy Dorsey even borrowed elements of Lunceford's distinctive style.

In 1940, the orchestra won a battle of the bands that included Count Basie’s, Glenn Miller’s, and Benny Goodman’s orchestras.

The band also appeared in the 1941 movie "Blues in the Night."

Jimmie Lunceford was a former resident of 409 Edgecombe Avenue, NYC.

Discover the stories of Harlem and join our efforts in preserving its legacy: @edgecombeavenue

#JimmieLunceford #harlem #edgecombeavenue #harlemnonprofit #whilewearestillhere by @edgecombeavenue

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Althea Gibson made history on July 6th, 1957, as the first Black athlete to win a Wimbledon title, paving the way for champions like Arthur Ashe and the Williams sisters.

Althea Neale Gibson (August 25, 1927 – September 28, 2003) was an African American tennis player and professional golfer. She was one of the first Black athletes to cross the color line of international tennis.

Against the odds, Gibson advanced from public courts to the biggest tennis events.

She was a natural at tennis from a young age, and her incredible talent didn’t go unnoticed. She was eventually trained by top-notch coaches. Gibson was the first Black player to participate in the U.S. National Championships in 1950 and the internationally renowned Wimbledon tournament in 1951.

Between 1956 and 1958, Gibson was at the height of her career. In 1956, she won the French Championships, becoming the first Black player to win a Grand Slam event.

She then went on to win both Wimbledon and the U.S. National Championships in 1957 and 1958.

Upon her return home, Gibson became only the second Black American, after Jesse Owens, to be honored with a ticker-tape parade in New York City, and Mayor Robert F. Wagner, Jr. presented her with the Bronze Medallion, the city’s highest civilian award.

She was named Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press in 1957 and 1958, becoming the first African American woman to receive this honor.

Despite her tennis success, Gibson faced significant financial struggles due to the lack of prize money in the amateur circuit. She joined the LPGA Tour in 1964, making history as the first Black woman to play professionally.

You can find her Signs of the Times marker at 135 West 143rd Street, NYC.

#harlem #altheagibson #wimbledon #tennisplayer #whilewearestillhere taken in New York - West 143rd St by @edgecombeavenue

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"Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on."

Thurgood Marshall (July 2, 1908 – January 24, 1993) was an American lawyer and civil rights activist.

Known as “Mr. Civil Rights,” Thurgood Marshall was one of the architects of the civil rights movement. He was also the first African American Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

He served from October 1967 through October 1991.

Thurgood Marshall retired from the Supreme Court in 1991, two years before his death. Marshall died of heart failure on January 24, 1993.

Marshall was a former resident of 409 Edgecombe Avenue, NYC.

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Discover the stories of Harlem and join our efforts in preserving its legacy: @edgecombeavenue

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#harlem #edgecombeavenue #supremecourt
#Harlemrenaissance #harlemnonprofit by @edgecombeavenue

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Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday for the 9th Annual Sugar Hill Music Festival inside our beautiful backup space at the Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling. @sugarhillmuseum

And a huge thank you goes to seven-time Grammy® nominee Nnenna Freelon, whose soulful performance and readings from her book “Beneath the Skin of Sorrow” elevated the afternoon.

Our gratitude also goes to the Steven Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra, Jenn Jade Ledesna, Pauline Jean, and the Lavender Light Gospel Choir under the direction of Eric Williamson.

Special thanks to our host for the event: Sheila Anderson

The festival is over - but the work of honoring and protecting Harlem’s cultural history continues every single day.

Drop your favorite moments or photos from Saturday in the comments! 👇🏾 taken in Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling by @edgecombeavenue

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Nnenna Freelon is a celebrated jazz vocalist, composer, producer, and host of the award-winning podcast Great Grief with Nnenna Freelon. A seven-time Grammy Award nominee, Freelon is a member of the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. She has released over twelve solo albums, most recently, Beneath the Skin on Origin Records.

Freelon is also the author of the book “Beneath the Skin of Sorrow: Improvisations on Loss” released in 2025. Part love story, part homage to jazz, and part guide to creative practice within bereavement, Beneath the Skin of Sorrow follows Freelon’s difficult and personal journey to healing. #jazzvocalist #harlem taken in Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling by @edgecombeavenue

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Haitian-American performing artist, PAULINE JEAN, is a captivating songstress whose distinctive voice and rousing melodies have caught the attention of audiences both young and old.

Pauline brings a refreshing sound to today’s music; creating an erudite blend of worldly jazz that draws from her Creole roots and integrates modern and traditional inflections.

She has received considerable press globally from leading media publications such as DownBeat, Jazzwise, All About Jazz, World Music Report, Jazz Times, and many more.#harlem taken in Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling by @edgecombeavenue

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Here’s what you missed at the the 9th Annual Sugar Hill Music Festival, held at the Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling on Saturday:

- Jenn Jade Ledesna
Jenn Jade Ledesna, a Bronx-born vocalist, composer, and stage artist, is renowned for her ability to sing in 11 languages. Her musical versatility spans genres and continents, and she has performed at major venues and festivals including Norway’s International Silda Jazz Festival, Teatro Municipal de Las Condes in Chile, and Aux Trois Mailletz in Paris.
Don’t miss the next one.

Sign up for our newsletter at @edgecombeavenue, so you’re always in the loop for our upcoming community events, preservation projects, and celebrations of Harlem’s history in NYC. taken in Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling by @edgecombeavenue

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The weather decided not to cooperate for music on the Luminaries Lawn, so we took the vibe across the street to the Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling.

Here’s what you missed at the the 9th Annual Sugar Hill Music Festival, held at the Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling on Saturday:

- Lavender Light, The Black and People of All Colors Lesbian and Gay Gospel Choir, with Eric Williamson, Artistic Director

Don’t miss the next one.

Sign up for our newsletter at @edgecombeavenue, so you’re always in the loop for our upcoming community events, preservation projects, and celebrations of Harlem’s history in NYC. taken in Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling by @edgecombeavenue

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