Harlem Centennial Family Photos
As mentioned in a previous post, my family has been in Harlem over 130 years. Someone asked if I had any other photos to share. Here you go...
First photos is my grandfather and Jimmy @ El Toro's restaurant in 1964. My grandfather was a Freedom Rider and close friends with Jimmy. My grandfather was invited to dinner by Bumpy Johnson in the 60s after hearing about his work in the movement. This is when Jimmy and a few others stepped in. I have a video of Jimmy speaking on it that I'll share another time.
Second is my great aunt (second from the bottom right) and her fellow biochemists at Columbia University. Her grandmother was a slave who made her way to Harlem and told her four granddaughters, "your education is the one thing they can't take from you". Her 140 IQ landed her a full scholarship to NYU and Columbia. She spent the rest of her life working at Bellevue and St. Lukes Roosevelt up until the age of 83 as a biochemist in the pediatric endocrinology lab, working on cures for children's diseases.
Third photo is my Nana, born at Harlem Hospital in 1924. She often bragged that she was born the same day as Sicily Tyson and they shared a nursery together lol. This photo was taken in 1939 when she was 15.
Fourth, great-grandfather's platoon which became the Harlem Hellfighters.
Fifth, my great-grandfather.
The sixth photo is my great grandfather's registration. It says he was born in Charleston but he actually came through Ellis Island from Barbados (I tracked down the entry papers). The military wrote Charleston so he could stay in the country. He then moved to 137th where he met my great-grandmother who was born in Harlem in 1895. Those of you who live on 137th probably know what building this is, just a few steps from the church.
Seventh photo, my grandfather and Jimmy at his house party after his play Blues for Mr. Charlie.
The last photo was taken by Bob Adelman (as were a few of the others) after my grandfather was invited to the Kennedy's home on Central Park West. This was a private meeting with Lena Horne, Harry Belafonte, Baldwin and a few others. My grandfather was invited when the Kennedys heard how he was brutally beaten while in Mississippi and let's just say my grandpa gave him a peace of their mind. Bob Adelman wasn't allowed in the meeting, but followed them through the city afterwards. A local reporter documented the following below.
"Mr. Kennedy, I want you to understand I don’t care anything about you and your brother,” Smith began. “I don’t know what I’m doing here, listening to all this cocktail party patter.”
The real threat to white America wasn’t the Black Muslims, Smith insisted—it was when he and other advocates of nonviolence lost hope. Smith’s record made his words resonate. As a Freedom Rider and CORE organizer, he had suffered as many savage beatings as any civil rights protester had, including one for which he was now getting medical care in New York.
That's all for now! If you recognize any of your family in the photos, feel free to reach out. I'm happy to give you a copy.