Radical Black Women of Harlem: A Walking Tour
Want to learn about some radical Black women who contributed to making Harlem a center of cultural innovation, radical politics and sustained activism throughout the twentieth century?
Join us on April 7 at 10:45 am in front of the Schomburg Center for Research on Black Culture at 515 Malcolm X Boulevard for a walking tour developed & co-led by Barnard College sophomore Asha Futterman and BCRW Researcher-in-Residence Mariame Kaba.
Asha and Mariame will share stories of inspiring Black women like Madame C.J. Walker, Regina Andrews, Ella Baker, Williana Burroughs, Amy Ashwood Garvey, Louise Thompson Patterson, Zora Neale Hurston, Claudia Jones, Lorraine Hansberry, Pauli Murray, Eslanda Robeson, Mae Mallory, Audre Lorde and more.
We’ll visit the street corners, buildings, public places and neighborhood spots where Black women made history – with impacts that extended far beyond Harlem’s streets to the world.
The tour will take place rain or shine.
About the Guides:
Asha Futterman is a writer from Chicago. She is currently a student at Barnard College where she studies English and Africana Studies. She works as an investigative researcher at the Invisible Institute.
Mariame Kaba is an organizer, educator and curator who is active in movements for racial, gender, and transformative justice. She is the co-author of Lifting As They Climbed: Mapping a History of Black Women on Chicago’s South Side (http://liftingastheyclimbed.zibbet.com).The guidebook features a number of Black women who contributed to the development of Chicago from the mid-19th century to today. It tells a story of Black women activists, educators and artists who lived and worked on Chicago’s South Side by taking readers on a tour of relevant landmarks and locations.
Timeline:
11:00 am – We will start at 11 am SHARP
1:30 pm – End tour
Suggested Donation is $20. Funds will be used to defray the cost of materials produced for the tour.
NOTE ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
This is an active tour. Participants should be reasonably fit and feel comfortable walking for a few miles (up to 4 miles). Be prepared to remain outside and on your feet for a significant period of time. If you bring young children, you should make sure you have a stroller in which they can ride.
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE
Take the #2 or #3 subway, get off at the 135th street station. We will meet in front of the Schomburg Center for Research on Black Culture.
You should plan to arrive by 10:45 am on April 7. We will begin promptly at 11 am.
You can leave the tour at any time if you feel tired and simply don’t want to continue to the next location. The tour is 2.5 hours long.
OTHER THINGS
- Remember to dress for the day’s weather and wear comfortable walking shoes, as we will be on our feet for most of the tour.
- Feel free to bring a bottle of water and light snacks along if you’d like.
- Use the restroom ahead of time.
- The tours will run rain or shine. However, we reserve the right to cancel the tour under severe weather conditions such as heavy rain or thunder for example.
- In case of questions regarding tour cancellations or in the event there is an emergency, please email jjinjustice1@gmail.com or call [do not text] (773) 392-5165.