I came across my neighborhood and there was a 1 hour walking tour that was detailed. I decided that maybe I could learn something cool about where I lived and I DID! I looked at the map and got so excited because my street was dotted with the tour path and it had a little number that meant it was a spo
t to stop at. I looked up the number and I was so excited because I found out that I live on the street that Billie Holiday grew up on. Not only do I live on her street, but we could have been neighbors because it is only a few apartments down the street. I walk past that apartment everyday on my way to the Subway and I had no idea. I think that is pretty awesome, not many people can say that, except my neighbors.
I also found out that on the street behind my apartment there is a really famous church. My roommate and I have noticed hoards of people standing outside the church everyday, but we weren't sure why. Now I know that a lot of tourists come to see the Abyssinian Baptist Church, the church that Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. served as preacher.
He served the church until he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, the first African American from New York to ever do so. The church was a prominent part of culture during the Harlem Renaissance and has seen some famous events, like the wedding of Nat King Cole. Currently, the Abyssinian Baptist Church is known for being a powerhouse in our neighborhood and they are responsible for multiple community buildings and schools. To this day, members of the church dress to the nines on Sunday mornings and often have to walk through crowds of tourists trying to get a peek inside the famous red doors.
(I tried to take a picture of the crowds, but it was raining and my pictures weren't that great. Next Sunday :))
That's so cool! I think I'm going to move to Manhattan after I get my BA for grad school. I haven't decided yet, but it's definitely one of my top picks among many others like Boston and Seattle (I just want a big change from Honolulu after this.). Your neighborhood has so much cool history though, that it's almost impossible to not want to move there right away! Hope you're loving it over there! :D
ReplyDeleteThere is so much history in your area! Isn't it fun to discover all of the fun facts from your neighborhood? I bet there are many more too, perhaps more than what you have in your tourism book. Have fun finding them all!
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History is so amazing. :] I like coming across little bits of information, especially if it's about places I've been. It makes me feel like I'm walking with history when I do walking tours.
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