🔗 Share this article

Call it the second Harlem renaissance. On Manhattan's 125th Street, where a sculpture of Adam Clayton Powell Jr stride forward, the atmosphere is buzzing with energy and excitement.

A Community in Renewal

The celebrated Apollo Theater is in the middle of major renovations. The National Black Theatre is set to relocate into an $80 million cultural center covering a entire block. Meanwhile, the National Urban League recently opened a $250M facility containing its headquarters, affordable housing and retail space.

“This building says to the world: Harlem is important; Black art matters; Black institutions are crucial,” remarked the leader of the governing board. “It will stand as a lighthouse on 125th Street, a place where art and people meet.”

Historical Roots

This institution was founded by artists, advocates, philanthropists and community members to address the systemic exclusion of African American artists from mainstream institutions. Its debut in a rented loft over an off-licence in the late 1960s, a traumatic year of political murders, uprisings and social change.

“This moment feels what it must have felt like when it all began,” noted a museum leader. “The institution emerged in a time of change. The country was divided. People were marching. Artists were demanding to be seen and heard.”

Building Design

The new $160M facility spans 82,000 sq ft across seven levels. Designed by architectural firms, the museum represents the first purpose-built home for the institution and almost doubles its exhibition and programme space.

The facility includes exhibition spaces, an large entrance hall, flexible programme spaces, a specialized learning studio, a cafe and shop, plus a rooftop terrace with sweeping urban vistas. An impressive staircase, clad in terrazzo, fills the main atrium space.

Collection Highlights

The inaugural programming showcases the institution's history and aspirations with four major exhibitions. One exhibition features the initial comprehensive retrospective of innovative creator an electronic art pioneer, whose electronic light sculptures appeared in the institution's first show.

• William T Williams's 1969 abstract musical tribute pays respect to John Coltrane
• Kerry James Marshall's iconic work confronts invisibility and African American portrayal
• Jean-Michel Basquiat's significant painting features bold strokes and mixed media elements
• Faith Ringgold's initial narrative textile captures her community in both joyful and mournful tones

Cultural Significance

The museum's arrival feels particularly significant during a period when diversity initiatives, cultural institutions and the way African American history is told face increased scrutiny. New York has just chosen a mayor who personifies the city's cultural diversity, and Harlem has a special ability for making renaissance resemble resistance.

“Harlem has always been evolving,” commented a senior leader. “It's a district that has been evolving since it was established. But this area has also been a community where African American culture has flourished.”

This institution honors its influential artist-in-residence programme with an former residents exhibition including notable names such as contemporary portraitist, mixed-media artist and Titus Kaphar. The exhibition combines recently created works with historical pieces spanning multiple decades.

Future Legacy

Among recent acquisitions are sound-based works and sculptural pieces. Metal containers created by artist Houston Conwill contain private statements by seven distinguished Black Americans, originally interred in the institution's outdoor space in 1984 and now exhibited with plans to be unveiled in September 2034.

Visitors can explore an historical display of images and memorabilia documenting the museum's history through its shows, programs and activities over nearly six decades. This extensive legacy includes notable occasions ranging from royal visits to local presentations that collectively demonstrate the museum's lasting influence.