Harlem Heritage Marker unveiled at March on Washington headquarters
NEW YORK -- On the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington, the Harlem headquarters where the event was organized now has its own Harlem Heritage Marker.
"This is what happens when you save buildings," said Valerie Jo Bradley, president of Save Harlem Now!. "You save history."
Serenaded by neighbors from the New Amsterdam Musical Association, another stalwart on the landmark block, activists and politicians led a preservation celebration at 170 W. 130th St.
"Buses rolled from Birmingham and Bed-Stuy, Selma and the South Bronx, and those people came together through the tireless efforts of groups here in our beloved Harlem," said Arva Rice, president and CEO of the NY Urban League.
Save Harlem Now! pushed the city to approve the plaque in time for the milestone anniversary of the March to point out the importance of the building, which also served girls at the turn of the 20th century as the Sojourner Truth House, offered art classes to Renaissance students like Jacob Lawrence as the Utopia House, and later provided a safe space for church friends to collaborate as the Friendship House. Friendship Baptist Church loaned organizers the space ahead of the March.
"The grandest of ideas do not take place in the grandest of places," Mayor Eric Adams said. "It takes place in basements, in the halls and small church environments. That's how it's done!"
Peeking through plaster, the facade shows its own significance, designed by New York's first licensed Black architect Vertner Woodson Tandy.
The honor also highlights the work of Bayard Rustin, who spent 90 days in the building in 1963 sorting out every detail of the big event.
"For a long time, Bayard was marginalized because of his radical politics and because he was unashamedly gay," said his partner, Walter Naegle, who is now executive director of the Bayard Rustin Fund. "A number of biographies and films have helped bring him from the shadows and grant him the recognition he deserves."
Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama's production company will release a feature film on Rustin's life and career in November, something all who walk the block of West 130th Street can now remember.
"We have to preserve the history so it's here for future generations to see," said state Sen. Cordell Cleare (D-Harlem), "so it can be an inspiration for others who have to carry the mantle, to continue the fight."
The plaque will be installed after the Housing Preservation and Development team inspects the facade and picks the perfect place of prominence for passersby to admire.
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