Harlem Civil Rights Virtual Tour

8. Apollo Theater - Side Bar

New York, NY

Book Now

Undoubtedly the most celebrated of Harlem’s landmarks, the Apollo Theater captures the imagination of every visitor. Built-in 1914, the “Hurtig and Seamon’s New Burlesque Theatre” did not allow African Americans in its audience. In 1934, the theater was sold to Frank Schiffman and Leo Brecher, who renamed the hall the 125th Street Apollo, and the rest, as they say, is history. Apollo Amateur Night remains to this day a venue in which amateur performers grace the stage every Wednesday night in hopes of launching a successful career. Among the Apollo’s success stories are some of the entertainment industry’s most influential and legendary artists, including jazz singers Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Billie Holiday; the King of Soul, James Brown; R&B singers Jackie Wilson and Luther Vandross; and hip-hop artists Lauryn Hill and Blu Cantrell, to name a few. On June 28, 1983, both the interior and exterior of the building were designated as New York City Landmarks, and the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 17, 1983. Welcome to the Heart and Soul of Black culture the world-famous Apollo Theater.