Ragtime to Jazz: Stages in Harlem - A Walking Tour with John T. Reddick

In the early 20th century, Harlem’s “hip-hop” was Ragtime—driven by young Black and Jewish musicians shaping America’s sound. By 1914, Harlem was the nation’s second-largest Jewish community, where composers like Gershwin, Hammerstein, and Rodgers collaborated with African American greats such as W.C. Handy, James Reese Europe, and Duke Ellington. Together, they forged America’s songbook. Explore their neighborhood—Mt. Morris Park, 125th Street, the Apollo Theater, and other landmarks tied to these legendary creators.
John T. Reddick is a long time resident of Harlem and a noted scholar of its architecture, ethnic and music cultures. A Columbia University, A'lelia Bundles Scholar, he has curated exhibitions and written extensively on Harlem's Black and Jewish Music Culture 1890-1930.

Meeting point: 515 Lenox Avenue (aka Malcolm X Blvd.) in front of the Schomburg Center

This event is offered as part of the Carnegie Hall Festival - United in Sound: America at 250

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Host or Publisher Harlem One Stop & Harlem Cultural Collaborative