Exploring Harlem’s Historic Venues and Landmarks

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It – Exploring Harlem’s Historic Venues and Landmarks

Episode Title: Exploring Harlem’s Historic Venues and Landmarks
Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Carolyn Johnson, Founder of Welcome to Harlem Tours
Release Date: February 24, 2025

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Introduction to Harlem’s Cultural Landscape

In this episode of All Of It from WNYC, host Alison Stewart delves into the rich tapestry of Harlem’s arts, culture, and history as part of the Black History Month series. She welcomes Carolyn Johnson, a longtime Harlem resident and founder of Welcome to Harlem Tours, to discuss the neighborhood’s vibrant heritage and ongoing legacy.

Alison Stewart (00:38):
“As part of our Black History Month series on Harlem, we are focusing on the arts, culture and history of the area. From the jazz clubs that once hosted Duke Ellington to landmarks that continue to shape its legacy today.”

Social Geography of Harlem

Carolyn Johnson provides a comprehensive overview of Harlem’s subdivisions, highlighting the unique characteristics of each area.

Carolyn Johnson (02:01):
“Central Harlem, East Harlem, and West Harlem are the three main sections... East Harlem has the Caribbean and Hispanic flavors with a sprinkle of Italian heritage. Central Harlem exudes a strong African American presence, while West Harlem reflects Irish and Jewish influences, especially around Columbia University.”

She emphasizes how each neighborhood offers distinct culinary and cultural experiences, catering to diverse tastes and interests.

Evolution of Harlem Over Two Decades

Discussing the transformation of Harlem, Carolyn notes the significant redevelopment efforts that have revitalized the community.

Carolyn Johnson (04:07):
“The major change in Central Harlem has been the redevelopment of the community. We now have banks, supermarkets, and amenities that were previously absent, thanks to large retailers moving in. This growth is extending towards West Harlem, driven by developments from Columbia University.”

Welcome to Harlem Tours: Mission and Impact

Carolyn explains the inspiration behind Welcome to Harlem Tours and its mission to reshape perceptions of Harlem.

Carolyn Johnson (08:44):
“I named it 'Welcome to Harlem' to invite people into our community and counteract the negative stereotypes of crime and neglect. We showcase the beauty of Harlem through its homes, tree-lined streets, parks, and multicultural essence, demonstrating that Harlem is a diverse and harmonious neighborhood.”

New Podcast: Harlem Time Trotters

Carolyn introduces her latest venture, the Harlem Time Trotters podcast, aimed at engaging younger audiences with Harlem’s history through imaginative storytelling.

Carolyn Johnson (05:44):
“We follow two siblings, Maya and King, who travel back in time to meet historical figures like William Henry Johnson of the Harlem Hellfighters. The podcast is designed to educate children about Harlem’s past in an entertaining way, and it’s a collaborative effort with Kids Go.”

A sample clip from the first episode is shared, illustrating Maya and King’s adventures in 1917 Harlem.

Listener Interactions: Stories and Historical Insights

The episode features calls from listeners sharing their personal connections and historical anecdotes about Harlem.

• Brian from Neuro Shell (09:55) recounts his family's ownership of Weeks Diner, frequented by legends like Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier.
  Brian (09:55):
  “Sydney had a coffee tab of 2.75 in the late 50s when coffee was 5 cents. Dolores thought differently about it, leading to personal stories intertwined with Harlem’s history.”

• Catherine from Long Island (20:22) reminisces about growing up in West Harlem, formerly Manhattanville, and highlights notable landmarks such as Juilliard School of Music and Riverside Church.
  Catherine (20:22):
  “We were the special ones. We were special. This was lucky.”

Highlighting Harlem’s Historic Sites

Carolyn shares insights into various Harlem landmarks, emphasizing their historical significance.

• Marcus Garvey Park:
  Carolyn Johnson (12:55):
  “Known as the Black Woodstock, it was the site of the Summer of Soul in 1969, a pivotal event featuring incredible musicians during a critical period in American history.”

• Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building:
  Carolyn Johnson (17:00):
  “Adam Clayton Powell Jr. was a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement, instrumental in passing over 50 pieces of legislation. We ensure our tour stops here to honor his legacy.”

• The Schomburg Center:
  Alison Stewart (21:22) discusses the Schomburg’s dual role as a library and research institution, housing over 11 million artifacts.
  Carolyn Johnson (21:22):
  “The Schomburg is not just a library but a research center attracting visitors globally. It hosts exhibits, book readings, jazz concerts, and more, making it a cultural hub.”

Community Voices and Personal Experiences

Listeners like Luanne from Brooklyn (18:34) share their favorite Harlem events and venues, such as the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival and local theaters hosting Shakespeare in Harlem.

Luanne (18:34):
“The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival and the lively Shakespeare in Harlem provide incredible cultural experiences that celebrate both music and literature in unique ways.”

Steve from Peekskill (22:32) fondly remembers Paris Blues Cafe, a beloved jazz club that closed due to COVID-19, highlighting the community’s loss.

Steve (22:32):
“Paris Blues was like going inside somebody's house. The jazz was fabulous, and the free food made it an amazing neighborhood hangout.”

Conclusion: Preserving and Sharing Harlem’s Heritage

As the episode wraps up, Alison Stewart and Carolyn Johnson reinforce the importance of educating others about Harlem’s rich history and cultural contributions.

Alison Stewart (24:12):
“We do appreciate it. We do appreciate it.”

Carolyn Johnson (24:16):
“Thank you for having me.”

The episode underscores the collaborative efforts to preserve Harlem’s heritage through tours, storytelling, and community engagement, inviting listeners to explore and appreciate the neighborhood’s enduring legacy.

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Notable Quotes:

• Carolyn Johnson (02:20):
  “East Harlem has the Caribbean flavor and also the Hispanic flavor... Central Harlem exudes a strong African American presence... West Harlem reflects Irish and Jewish influences.”

• Alison Stewart (05:44):
  “I wanted to create something with kids that helps them learn about Harlem’s history in an entertaining way.”

• Carolyn Johnson (08:44):
  “We are the largest neighborhood in New York City, believe it or not.”

• Carolyn Johnson (12:55):
  “Summer of Soul was not just Harlem history, but American history in general.”

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This episode of All Of It offers an immersive exploration of Harlem’s dynamic cultural landscape, celebrating its historic venues, diverse neighborhoods, and the ongoing efforts to educate and engage both residents and visitors. Through Carolyn Johnson’s passionate insights and listener stories, the audience gains a deeper appreciation for Harlem’s pivotal role in shaping New York City’s cultural fabric.

Transcript

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[Carolyn Johnson]

Listener supported.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it from wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. As part of our Black History Month series on Harlem, we are focusing on the arts, culture and history of the area. From the jazz clubs that once hosted Duke Ellington to landmarks that continue to shape its legacy today. New York City resident Carolyn Johnson started a boutique tour company that takes you to spots like Langston Hughes final resting place as well as gospel tours. Carolyn joins us now to discuss some of the sites. She also co leads the live performance series Harlem's Jacksbox and is creator of the Monopoly spinoff game Harlemopoly, featuring historical sites and figures of the Renaissance era. Carolyn, nice to speak to you.

[Carolyn Johnson]

Hi. Thank you for having me Today, listeners.

[Alison Stewart]

We'd love to hear from you. What's your favorite Harlem gem? A jazz club, A theater, a restaurant? Have you ever stumbled on a piece of Harlem history that just blew your mind? Maybe you grew up in the neighborhood or you live there now. What stories have been passed down in your family? Give us a call. 2124-3396-9221-2433 wnyc or hit us up on social media of it. WNYC. So Carolyn, I want a little bit of a brief social geography here. Tell us, what are the three neighborhoods that make up today?

[Carolyn Johnson]

Central Harlem, East Harlem and West Harlem. Those are the three main sections of Harlem Community Boards 9, 10 and 11. It encompasses 6.2 miles and Harlem is about one fifth of the island of Manhattan. And we are the largest neighborhood in New York City, believe it or not.

[Alison Stewart]

How does each neighborhood or community of Harlem have its own personality?

[Carolyn Johnson]

Yeah, that's the beauty about it. East Harlem has the Caribbean flavor and also the Hispanic flavor. And it still has a little sprinkle of Italian, the old Little Italy over there and stuff like that. So that is probably the most diverse out of all three of the communities and stuff. Then when you come into Central Harlem, you fall back into more African American flavor inside of Central Harlem. And then when you go to West Harlem, it's much more like Irish, Jewish and stuff like that because of Columbia University being the main tenant over there. But then when you get a little Farther Uptown, around 135th street in West Harlem that turns into more of an Hispanic neighborhood as well. And the farther you go up inside of central Harlem on 8th Avenue, going towards the Rucker's park and the Polar Grounds, it really goes back to that old flavor of being an African American community. So each neighborhood has its distinct identity, and depending on what you want to do, the type of foods that you want to eat, it depends on which way you'll actually go.

[Alison Stewart]

All right. My dad grew up on 143rd Street. You call that Central Harlem?

[Carolyn Johnson]

And what avenue.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, gosh, was west.

[Carolyn Johnson]

Yeah, yeah. On the avenue. So, yeah. So like, if you were past, let's say, Amsterdam going west.

[Alison Stewart]

Yes.

[Carolyn Johnson]

You were in West Harlem.

[Alison Stewart]

That's him. That's him.

[Carolyn Johnson]

Yeah. He was in West Harlem. Yeah, yeah. Looking at the top of the hill, looking down.

[Alison Stewart]

Yes, yes, definitely. You've been a longtime resident of Harlem. How have you seen Harlem change, let's say, the last 20 years?

[Carolyn Johnson]

Well, I would think the major change that's come, especially inside of Central Harlem, has been the redevelopment of the community. You had a lot of abandoned spaces and stuff like that. You had large retailers come into the community, which has been, I guess, a win, in a sense, and stuff like that, because we didn't have banks, supermarkets, and amenities that make up a community. So that has really helped us out. And that's even also inside of East Harlem over there on 116th street, where Costco is and stuff like that. And then Central Harlem has theirs, and now it's also going towards West Harlem because Columbia University has been doing a lot of major development on the west side as well, and it's been steadily flowing uptown as well, towards 145th street area. You see things are changing going up as well. So it's all been positive in that sense.

[Alison Stewart]

Carolyn Johnson is the founder of welcome to Harlem Tours. She is our guest for this segment. We'd like to hear from you as well. What's your favorite Harlem gem? What restaurant's been around that you love to go to? Have you ever stumbled upon a piece of Harlem history that blew your mind? Give us a call. 2124-339692-21243. WNYC or hit us up on social medialofit. WNYC. I wanted to point out we had this at the end of this segment, but I want to point it out at the beginning that you have launched a new podcast called the Harlem Time Trotters, which follows two siblings, Maya and King. Tell us a little bit about the premise for this podcast.

[Carolyn Johnson]

So I had saw this TV show called the Time Traveler's Wife, and I was like, so like, wow, this is really cool with her traveling back and forth. And I was like, why can't I do this with kids? So they travel back in time, meet a person in Harlem and help them solve a problem that they're having and stuff. So Maya and King are the names of my niece and nephew's kids. And they are these. These two little kids, they go off, they have this gentleman by the name of the professor and a butterfly named Wings who travels with them and stuff, and they travel back in time. So the first episode is S is for Soldiers, and they go back in time and meet William Henry Johnson, who was a gentleman that was in the army, and he was having a hard time learning the drills, but he traveled back in time and they helped him learn the drills. And he's part of the 369 Regiment, and they go over to Europe and fight in World War I. And then they learn about him, who he was, and the fact that these men were not allowed to fight with American soldiers. So they're learning about history and they're meeting people and then they travel back and then they have the discussion with the professor and stuff. So that was the premises of it. And it's going to be a total of 40 episodes. We're doing this with the podcast company Kids Go, Kids Go, which is really good. And they are really good at putting together these podcasts. And I'm actually learning as we're going along because I review the scripts and I was like, oh, wow, I didn't know this and I didn't know that. So it's also been a learning experience for me as well.

[Alison Stewart]

Well, let's listen to a little bit of the first episode. Maya and King learn the Professor's secret, and they travel back to 1917 to meet the Harlem Hellfighters.

[Carolyn Johnson]

Take a good hard look. Doesn't this tree remind you of something?

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, yeah, every other tree.

[Carolyn Johnson]

Look closer, King. What do you think, Maya? Hmm.

[Alison Stewart]

Well, it kinda looks like the pendant you're wearing. The tree shaped one with the clock in it.

[Carolyn Johnson]

Good observation. Now watch this. First, we look around us so we make sure no one sees. Then we take my pendant and we tap it on this tree.

[Alison Stewart]

Whoa. No way. The tree started glowing and a door appeared.

[Carolyn Johnson]

So. See, nothing's as it seems around here.

[Alison Stewart]

Nothing's as it seems around here. We're looking forward to more episodes of that. You know, you've organized these tours in Harlem for more than 20 years and now. And they're called welcome to Harlem. Why did you name them welcome to Harlem?

[Carolyn Johnson]

Well, I said welcome because I wanted to welcome people to our community. For so long, people have had a negative impact image about Harlem, about it being crime written, being dirty and things like that. And I was like, I wanted to erase that by saying, okay, I want to welcome you here, but I have the opportunity to show you how beautiful this community is. Block by block, step by step and tour by tour. And when people come here, they always say, oh, I saw Harlem in the TV or in movie shows. And they wasn't expecting what they see when they see these beautiful homes, these tree lined streets, the parks, the multicultural component of the community. Because a lot of people still think that it's just African Americans that live here. And I try to tell them this is New York City, it's multicultural. We don't get to pick our neighbors. So all of us live along here and we get along. So a lot of these people that you see here that you think are tourists, they actually live here. These are my neighbors and stuff. And we just wanted to make it welcoming to them to let them know that our doors are open and we want them to come.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Brian. He's calling in from Neuro Shell. Hi Brian, thanks so much for calling, all of it.

[Brian]

Hi Alison. Big fan of your show. I think it's my second time calling anyway. I have a little bit of Harlem history. My family owned a diner and it was called Weeks Diner. W E K S Diner. I'm not sure exactly where it was, but the, the story goes that it was frequented by a couple of. One cousin Harry Belafonte and his best friend Sidney Poitier. And this is actually in Sydney's book that my great uncle who owned the diner had two beautiful daughters, Dolores.

[Carolyn Johnson]

Okay.

[Brian]

And.

[Carolyn Johnson]

Okay.

[Brian]

They actually asked Winnie to, to marry him. And the story goes that Sydney had like a 2.75 coffee tab at the time. And coffee at that time in the late 50s was 5 cents. So she thought different of it. And she later admitted, she said maybe I might, you know, no disrespect to Uncle Piero because she married a wonderful man who, who's still alive now. Anyway, that's true story. Weeks Diner. It's, it's in the books.

[Carolyn Johnson]

I would probably, I would probably put it in around 135th street area.

[Alison Stewart]

That makes sense. Brian, thank you so much for calling in. Somebody here said they love Broadway and Morningside park as well as LaSalle Dumplings. If you have a place in Harlem that you consider a true gem, give us a call. 2124-3396-9221-2433. W. Maybe there's a place in Harlem that you stumbled upon and it blew your mind. We want to hear about it. 2124-3396-9221-2433-9692. When you stop when people come up to you and say, I didn't know this happened at the Hotel Teresa. I didn't know this happened on this corner. First of all, what do you think when you hear someone say that?

[Carolyn Johnson]

Well, it's unfortunate that a lot of this is not being taught in the schools. And I think that's, that's our chance to enlighten them a little bit, and hopefully they'll take that and go back do reading. We always try to suggest books that they should read if they want to get a better feel for the community and stuff like that. But it's, it's just really a learning experience on both ends, which is really great because as they're prepping me about Harlem, I'm prepping them about where they came from. So I'm also learning about their culture, which is really good. So it's, it's a two way street and stuff like that. But we always try to engage, suggest things for them to read and see and do that is reflecting what we're teaching them along the way.

[Alison Stewart]

What's an example of one of those sites on one of your tours that people didn't really have an idea about, didn't know what happened there?

[Carolyn Johnson]

Well, we could take something as easy as Marcus Garvey Park. We walk around the park in our Mount Morris park tour because that's a major component of the park. And then when we tell them about, as we always called it, the Black Woodstock, which is now the documentary the Summer of Soul, that it was those six weekends in 1969 where all of these people descended on the park to hear all these fabulous musicians and stuff like that during a critical time period in history, not just Harlem history, but American history in general, because you had the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. Malcolm X and stuff like that. So a lot of things were bubbling up within the community and something needed to be done. And we had this wonderful thing called Summer Soul, which was really, really great.

[Alison Stewart]

And you said that was part of that.

[Carolyn Johnson]

Tell them about that.

[Alison Stewart]

You said that was part of the Mount Morris park tour.

[Carolyn Johnson]

Yeah, because it happened in Marcus Garvey park. A lot of people don't know that that's where that happened. Inside of Marcus Garvey park on the Madison Avenue side of the park is where that was filmed in 1969 for six weekends.

[Alison Stewart]

We'll have more from Carolyn Johnson, founder of welcome to Harlem, after a quick break. This is all of it.

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[Alison Stewart]

At 24 I lost my narrative, or rather it was stolen from me. And the Monica Lewinsky that my friends and family knew was usurped by false narratives, callous jokes and politics. I would define reclaiming as to take back what was yours. Something you possess is lost or stolen and ultimately you triumph in finding it again. Listen to Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky. Wherever you get your podcasts, you are listening to ALL of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. My guest is Carolyn Johnson. She is the founder of welcome to Harlem, a series of tours. She shows people the special places in Harlem. We'd love to hear from you. What's your favorite Harlem gem? A theater, a restaurant that you've been to? Could be new, could be old. 2124-3396-9221-2433-WNYC. So Carolyn, I want to go over the different tours that you have. You have a Harlem Gospel Brunch tour, Mount Morris Park Tour. We talked about that one Harlem Civil Rights Walking Tour, the Harlem Rythm and Rhyme Walking Tour, and several jazzed themed tours. How did you decide on all these themes?

[Carolyn Johnson]

Well, when I plan on my tours, I try to pick a route that's easy to walk, accessible to transportation when we meet people and stuff like that. And what's in maybe a 10 to 12 block radius that I can connect back to the particular theme of the tour. But that's how we put our tours together and stuff. So something like the market, the Civil Rights tour, we hit about 15 different sites in regards to the Civil Rights Movement that people never knew that was here inside of Harlem. And we connected to people that also were part of the Civil Rights movement that people never knew that happened here inside of Harlem. When most people think about the Civil Rights movement, they only focus on the south. But there was a lot of things here in the north that also happened in regards to The Civil Rights movement for Martin Luther King Jr. And stuff like that. And we're actually going to have the first civil rights museum opening up here in Harlem at the end of this year on 125th street, which is going to be fabulous. So we picked the spots as we walk along and make the connection and stuff.

[Alison Stewart]

Can you give me an example from that tour?

[Carolyn Johnson]

Sure. So, for instance, you have Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Was a confidant of Martin Luther King Jr. He also was instrumental in passing over 50 pieces of legislation that connected back to the civil rights movement. So we make sure we stop at ADAM Clinton Powell Jr. State Office Building. The statue is there and stuff like that. And we talk about him there. Then we also might go to Bloomstein's department store, where Martin Luther King Jr. Was almost assassinated in 1960. You know when he was almost assassinated there, September 20th by almost young lady that had stabbed him in the chest with a letter opener. You travel a little farther uptown. You might go by Mother Zion AME Church, which goes back to Paul Robeson, him being very involved not also in the Harlem Renaissance, but the Civil Rights movement as well. Then you might make your way up to one of the places like the NAACP House of Town, or go past the house where Baynard Rustin planned a march on Washington. So these are little sites along the way that we make sure that we stop along or even something. The temple number seven on 116th street, where Malcolm X was associated with, or Canaan Baptist Church, where Yat Walker came out of, which was a confidant of Martin Luther King Jr. As well, and a friend. So, yeah, we just figure out these people and places and connect the dots.

[Alison Stewart]

That was wonderful. Let's talk to Luanne online, too, from Brooklyn. Hi, Luann, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Luanne]

Hi, Alison. So wonderful to talk to you. I also want to mention all of the wonderful things that happen in Harlem on the summertime, specifically the Charlie Charlie Parker Jazz Festival. I've been going to that for the past 15 years. It's the end of August and it's incredible. It's two days of just plain jazz. There's the classic theater of Harlem that do Shakespeare in the park. And their Shakespeare in the park is incredibly beautiful. It's much more lively. It gives people. It gives people an opportunity to see, to understand Shakespeare more. Because the one you do in Central park, it's okay, but it's kind of Harlem. Shakespeare in the park is great. There is Wednesday summertime. This is all summertime. I'm talking about summertime. On Wednesdays, there's jive at the Grand Tomb, and you could find all sorts of incredibly international jazz bands for free.

[Carolyn Johnson]

We're the land of yes and yes.

[Luanne]

And let's not forget the tater. What's the 125th Street? I go there to see the. Was it the comedy thing where they. They knock you off?

[Carolyn Johnson]

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

[Luanne]

I've took many, like, auto counters, and they are amazed by this thing here.

[Carolyn Johnson]

So.

[Alison Stewart]

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I'm with you, Luanne. You are on top of it. Oh, she is ready.

[Carolyn Johnson]

Let's talk to it.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah, let's talk to Catherine from Long Island. Hi, Catherine. Thanks for calling all of it.

[Carolyn Johnson]

Hi. I just wanted to let you know that I grew up in West Harlem. The old name for it was Manhattanville during the 50s. And in my neighborhood we had Terry park, the International House, Juilliard School of Music, Riverside Church, Grant's Tomb, the Viaduct, the Claremont Inn, Columbia University and Teachers College, Jewish Theological and the other theological school. And I thought every kid had a neighborhood like this. I had no idea what it was like growing up there as a kid.

[Alison Stewart]

That's so great, Catherine. Thank you.

[Carolyn Johnson]

We were the special ones. We. We were special. This was lucky.

[Alison Stewart]

My favorite part of Harlem is the libraries. I live in center, right across from Morningside park and 123rd, and there are three within walking distance. The Harry Belafonte is 115 is my favorite. Hey, the Schomburg is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. What kind of things can I find in circulation at the Schomburg? People have talked about the Schomburg, but I'm not sure people really understand what they can see when they go there.

[Carolyn Johnson]

So the Schomburg has three exhibit spaces. That's number one. And they always have these fabulous exhibits. So it almost acts like a museum even though it's a library. So you have the three exhibit spaces. That's also where Linkston use is buried inside of the center's piece there. That connects the 135th Street Library, which was the original library, to the new building that they built, then connected it together and they named it after Arturo Schomburg. But not only is just them, but seeing what they do, they also do a lot of programming there as far as book readings. They have jazz concerts and stuff like that. They have guest speakers. But as far as the library part, it's really good for research. It is a fabulous research center and stuff like that. Because you have to remember they have over 11 million artifacts today inside of The Schomburg people come from all around the world to do research there. So it's. The Schomburg is a research institution for people all around the world to use. And then they have the exhibit spaces and stuff like that. They have a wonderful gift shop and all the programming that they do for the neighborhood. So it is a New York City public library, but it's also a fabulous research center as well.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Steve from Peekskill. Hi, Steve.

[Steve]

Hi. Thanks for taking my call. I wanted to just bring up a place that my wife and I discovered when we first moved to Manhattan in 2014 called Paris Blues Cafe. It was a little jazz club, very small. And we had just moved to the city when we stumbled upon it. And everyone there was so friendly. They made you feel like you'd been going there your whole life. And one of the best things about it was that there was free food. So they would put a crock pot out on a table and if you bought a couple drinks, you could just help yourself to some food. They had jazz every night. It seemed like it was a kind of open jam session. And some nights it was really amazing and it was a really wonderful place to visit. I was very saddened to learn that it closed with COVID Yeah, that's right. I read about that. But that was an amazing place.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks, Steve.

[Carolyn Johnson]

Yeah, I live around the corner from Paris Blues. I know him. How very nice person. And that Melvin, that was his world, you know, he. He owned the building. He had Paris Blues. And like you said, it was like going inside somebody's house. You were welcome there. The jazz was fabulous. Like you said, they had the free food and stuff like that. But unfortunately, I think Covid affected him not being able to get out and do that socialization and stuff like that. And he did pass away through Covid, which was really unfortunate and stuff because it was a nice little dive place that a neighborhood hangout.

[Alison Stewart]

And there are many more you can find out by visiting. Carolyn Johnson. She's the founder of welcome to Harlem. Thanks to everybody who called and Carolyn, thank you for your time. We do appreciate it.

[Carolyn Johnson]

Well, thank you for having me.

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