<p data-block-key="403uv">Students in Mr. Sandler’s AP U.S. History class recently visited the New-York Historical Society to explore the exhibition The Gay Harlem Renaissance. The trip connected directly to the class study of the Great Migration and the cultural transformation of Harlem in the early twentieth century.<br/></p><p data-block-key="c1iws">Working in small groups, students examined artifacts related to writers, artists, and performers who shaped Harlem’s creative life. They learned about the remarkable story of entrepreneur Madam C.J. Walker and her daughter A’Lelia Walker, whose famous Dark Tower salon brought together Black intellectuals, writers, and artists. Students also explored the work of entertainers such as Gladys Bentley and Ethel Waters, and discussed how Harlem’s vibrant nightlife, including rent parties, supported artistic communities during the Great Depression.<br/></p><p data-block-key="h304q">The visit highlighted connections between Harlem and Greenwich Village and helped students understand the overlapping histories of Black cultural achievement and LGBTQ life in New York City. Students analyzed artifacts closely, sketched objects from the exhibit, and connected what they saw to class readings, including poetry by Countee Cullen.<br/></p><p data-block-key="o17y7">The trip offered students a meaningful opportunity to explore the many voices and stories that shaped Harlem’s cultural renaissance.<br/><a href="https://www.canva.com/design/DAHD86iph0U/bbDvIkOtQcUrFc2_rWE70w/view?utm_content=DAHD86iph0U&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h1677ba39c4">See a full size photo collage here.</a></p>
