Sign the petition now and pass it on to preservation-friendly folks you know across the globe, to support Harlem based efforts to save the last great ballroom in Harlem. Much more info at links below. BLACK LANDMARKS MATTER: The Renaissance Ballroom, Theater and Casino was purchased by a developer that wants to flatten it and build an apartment building, and call it “The Renny. Why & how? The Abyssinian Baptist church purchased it for a song years ago. They convinced the NYC Landmarks commission not to landmark it, to avoid extra expense as they were going to create a community ballroom. Through mismanagement of the project just prior to the real estate crisis, construction never started. Facing insolvency, the Church sold the now decrepit Renaissance with a shrug, saying they had no money to save it, without ever having looked to the Harlem community to get support for saving the building. Local historian Michael Henry Adams is up in arms - Harlem has the lowest number of landmarks in NYC, despite its importance in the nations music, dance, economic, racial and entertainment history. Mr. Adams brought the issue to the media, and other concerned Harlemites and New Yorkers are joining in. Even if you cant join us to swing-out to save the Renny, as a member of the swing community you can make a huge difference. 1. Sign the petition at the photo link below titled: Halt the Destruction of Harlems Historic Renaissance Casino The petition has 1280 signatures as I write this. The swing community can help move this up to a million supporters from all over the world. The powers that be in Harlem need to see the impact swing has had across the globe, and realize the historic and cultural value of this monument to swing, and the rise of African American cultural & economic development in Harlem. Send it to every black history, historic preservation, music, culture, dancer friendly person you know. 2. Read the articles below, Twitter about it, post it on your FB page, your local swing, jazz and basketball community pages, and urge others to sign it. 3. Swing out to save the Renny: If you are in NYC on Jan 4 and/or 11, show up in front the Renaissance to protest for 45 mins for the media in view of the long line of tourists waiting to get into the church, and swing out to save the Renny. Details at https://facebook/events/1524630377792734/. As you know, Frankie danced here - he was also on the basketball team, the Harlem Rens. This was one of the 5 first all-black fully professional African-American owned basketball teams, formed in Harlem in 1923. The Renaissance was a ballroom, casino and theater, the first entertainment complex to be built and run in Harlem by African Americans for a predominantly African American audience. For further reference: nytimes/2014/12/21/nyregion/in-harlem-renaissance-theater-is-at-the-crossroads-of-demolition-and-preservation.html?_r=0 nydailynews/new-york/uptown/michael-henry-adams-black-landmarks-matter-article-1.2035586 Recent News harlemonestop/organization/564/renaissance-ballroom-and-casino untappedcities/2014/09/02/inside-the-abandoned-renaissance-theater-and-casino-in-harlem/ villagevoice/bestof/2000/award/best-un-landmarked-music-landmark-uptown-492535/ villagevoice/2013-04-17/news/the-very-earthly-pursuits-of-calvin-o-butts-iii/
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 01:02:51 +0000