Harlem Walking Tour The Black Church And The Rise Of Gospel Music
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Overview
The tour is conducted by an author, historian, New York City born and raised lucensed toyr guide. In this tour we will visit 9 landmark sites which include the first Black Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregationalist, and Baptist churches. We will examine their history, their leaders, and their role in the anti-slavery movement as well as the civil rights movement. This tour also looks at the role of Gospel music in the history of the Black church. We will study its growth from the ring shout (the foundation of all African American music), to the Spirituals, the role of the Protestant hymnals, ending with what became known as Gospel Blues, today simply called Gospel music. The tour ends with a visit to a church service where we will listen to a live Gospel choir.
Inclusions
- A Licensed New York city born Tour Guide with a portable video and audio system.
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: St James Presbyterian Church, 409 W 141st St, New York, NY 10031, USA
Our license tour guide will share with you the history of this landmark.
While the striking building has graced this location for well over a century, the church’s history actually extends much further back, descending from the Shiloh Presbyterian Church. Shiloh was a leader in the abolitionist movement and a part of the Underground Railroad. For decades, it was led by a series of radical black ministers.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Grace Congregational of Harlem, 310 W 139th St, New York, NY 10030, USA
Our licensed tour guide will share with you the history of this church.
The Rev Alexander C. Garner, D.D.Pastor, Grace Church, 1922-1938. was the first minister in Harlem to establish in his church a day nursery for the children of working Mothers and a pioneer in opening up the church doors unreservedly to members of the theatrical profession, which earned for the church doors the appellation “Church of the Actors.” His talent as a musician and interest in art gave impetus to the musical phase of the church services
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Abyssinian Baptist Church, 132 Odell Clark Pl, New York City, NY 10030-2303
Our license tour guide will share with you the history of this church.
Founded in 1808, Abyssinian Baptist Church is one of the oldest African-American Baptist churches in the United States. Housed in a landmark Gothic- and Tudor-style building in Harlem, Abyssinian embraces a rich history of worship, spiritual leadership, social activism and community service.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: 65 W 138th St, New York, NY 10037, USA
St Mark the Evangelist, Roman Catholic Church: "The first Catholic church in Harlem to welcome people of African descent from the southern parts of the United States and from the Caribbean.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 140 W 137th St # 6, New York City, NY 10030-2502
Our licensed tour guide will share with you the history of this church.
"The Freedom Church" was formed in 1796 by African-American members of the predominantly white John Street Methodist Church. Although that church was abolitionist in its orientation, racial segregation was still enforced in other ways. As one A.M.E. Zion historian described it:
The colored members were not permitted to come to the sacrament (Holy Communion) until all the white members, even children, had communedhe first church foundation stone was laid in 1819, and the first rector, serving from 1826 to 1840, was the Rev. Peter Williams, Jr., a leading abolitionist and the first African-American Episcopal priest in New York. He was one of three blacks who served on the first executive committee of the American Anti-Slavery Society
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: St Philip's Church, 204 W 134th St, New York, NY 10030, USA
Our licensed tour guide will share with you the rich history of this landmark.
This was W.E.B. Dubois and Thurgood Marshall's church. Rev. Peter Williams, Jr., a leading abolitionist and the first African-American Episcopal priest in New York. He was one of three blacks who served on the first executive committee of the American Anti-Slavery Society
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Bethel AME Church, 60 W 132nd St, New York, NY 10037, USA
Our licensed tour guide will share with you the history of this church.
Bethel moved to its present location on West 132nd Street when it joined the exodus of African Americans to Harlem.
It was here in 1917 Marcus golvy expounded on his back-to-back Africa movement shortly before funding the universe or negro improvement as us
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Bethel Gospel Assembly, 1832 Madison Ave, New York City, NY 10035-2707
Our licensed tour guide makes reservations to secure our visitors seats.
We will end the tour here.
Experience an authentic Sunday morning worship service. This congregation and its members are warm and well coming. The choir gospel and the band are excellent. Very often they are special musical services with gospel music celebrities such as Israel Houghton, Tasha Cobbs, Hezekiah Walker, Johnathan Nelson among others...
We do recommend that you stay throughout the whole service, however we do understand if you have to leave.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: St James Presbyterian Church, 409 W 141st St, New York, NY 10031, USA
Our license tour guide will share with you the history of this landmark.
While the striking building has graced this location for well over a century, the church’s history actually extends much further back, descending from the Shiloh Presbyterian Church. Shiloh was a leader in the abolitionist movement and a part of the Underground Railroad. For decades, it was led by a series of radical black ministers.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Grace Congregational of Harlem, 310 W 139th St, New York, NY 10030, USA
Our licensed tour guide will share with you the history of this church.
The Rev Alexander C. Garner, D.D.Pastor, Grace Church, 1922-1938. was the first minister in Harlem to establish in his church a day nursery for the children of working Mothers and a pioneer in opening up the church doors unreservedly to members of the theatrical profession, which earned for the church doors the appellation “Church of the Actors.” His talent as a musician and interest in art gave impetus to the musical phase of the church services
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Abyssinian Baptist Church, 132 Odell Clark Pl, New York City, NY 10030-2303
Our license tour guide will share with you the history of this church.
Founded in 1808, Abyssinian Baptist Church is one of the oldest African-American Baptist churches in the United States. Housed in a landmark Gothic- and Tudor-style building in Harlem, Abyssinian embraces a rich history of worship, spiritual leadership, social activism and community service.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: 65 W 138th St, New York, NY 10037, USA
St Mark the Evangelist, Roman Catholic Church: "The first Catholic church in Harlem to welcome people of African descent from the southern parts of the United States and from the Caribbean.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 140 W 137th St # 6, New York City, NY 10030-2502
Our licensed tour guide will share with you the history of this church.
"The Freedom Church" was formed in 1796 by African-American members of the predominantly white John Street Methodist Church. Although that church was abolitionist in its orientation, racial segregation was still enforced in other ways. As one A.M.E. Zion historian described it:
The colored members were not permitted to come to the sacrament (Holy Communion) until all the white members, even children, had communedhe first church foundation stone was laid in 1819, and the first rector, serving from 1826 to 1840, was the Rev. Peter Williams, Jr., a leading abolitionist and the first African-American Episcopal priest in New York. He was one of three blacks who served on the first executive committee of the American Anti-Slavery Society
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: St Philip's Church, 204 W 134th St, New York, NY 10030, USA
Our licensed tour guide will share with you the rich history of this landmark.
This was W.E.B. Dubois and Thurgood Marshall's church. Rev. Peter Williams, Jr., a leading abolitionist and the first African-American Episcopal priest in New York. He was one of three blacks who served on the first executive committee of the American Anti-Slavery Society
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Bethel AME Church, 60 W 132nd St, New York, NY 10037, USA
Our licensed tour guide will share with you the history of this church.
Bethel moved to its present location on West 132nd Street when it joined the exodus of African Americans to Harlem.
It was here in 1917 Marcus golvy expounded on his back-to-back Africa movement shortly before funding the universe or negro improvement as us
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Bethel Gospel Assembly, 1832 Madison Ave, New York City, NY 10035-2707
Our licensed tour guide makes reservations to secure our visitors seats.
We will end the tour here.
Experience an authentic Sunday morning worship service. This congregation and its members are warm and well coming. The choir gospel and the band are excellent. Very often they are special musical services with gospel music celebrities such as Israel Houghton, Tasha Cobbs, Hezekiah Walker, Johnathan Nelson among others...
We do recommend that you stay throughout the whole service, however we do understand if you have to leave.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Additional information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Face masks required for guides and travelers indoors.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.