"Harlem in the early part of the 20th century is most closely identified with its Renaissance, when Black creative, intellectual, and political life took root in the community, but Harlem Tenement in Summer captures an everyday moment that has its own historical significance. Photographed sometime between 1935 and 1939, Harlem Tenement in Summer does not define Harlem by its legends. Instead, the unknown photographer has chosen to immortalize a quotidian stoop scene. Imagine stepping into this print, and that you, like the building’s residents, have escaped the stifling and stagnant summer heat in your apartment to sit outside in anticipation of a cool breeze. While the youngest Harlemites are at play on the sidewalk or clustered together on the stoop, the adults are mid-conversation, some leaning confidently out of wide open windows above to share a word. Nearby a woman’s laughter is so hearty you can nearly feel it in your own chest. This image boasts an openness and camaraderie that implores viewers to linger on every face, challenging us to try to connect the dots between the scene’s many characters ..." Read more from Morgan Fletcher on the blog!
