Lenox Avenue – also named Malcolm X Boulevard; both names are officially recognized – is the primary north–south route through

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater ...

in the upper portion of the

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

. This two-way street runs from Farmers' Gate at Central Park North ( 110th Street) to 147th Street. Its traffic is figuratively described as "Harlem's heartbeat" by Langston Hughes in his poem ''Juke Box Love Song''. From 119th Street to 123rd Street, Lenox Avenue is part of the Mount Morris Park Historic District, designated by the

New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the Government of New York City, New York City agency charged with administering the city's Historic preservation, Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting Ne ...

in 1971.

History

Originally a part of

Sixth Avenue Sixth Avenue, also known as Avenue of the Americas, is a major thoroughfare in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The avenue is commercial for much of its length, and traffic runs northbound, or uptown. Sixth Avenue begins four blocks b ...

, the segment north of Central Park was renamed in late 1887 for philanthropist James Lenox. In 1987, it was co-named

Malcolm X Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an African American revolutionary, Islam in the United States, Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figur ...

Boulevard, in honor of the slain civil rights leader. The avenue was the heart of

during the

Harlem Renaissance The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual and cultural revival of African-American music, dance, art, fashion, literature, theater, politics, and scholarship centered in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, spanning the 1920s and 1930s. At the ti ...

in the 1930s. The street brought together

African Americans African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa ...

, Latinos, British West Indians, and

Spaniards Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance-speaking ethnic group native to the Iberian Peninsula, primarily associated with the modern nation-state of Spain. Genetically and ethnolinguistically, Spaniards belong to the broader Southern a ...

who developed relationships over common interests such as

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

and food. In 1932, Harlem was so firmly established as the world capital of jazz and African-American culture in general that "black cinema" films like ''Harlem Is Heaven'' were playing on the nation's big screens. Jazz flourished and grew like it could have in no other time and place. "You might have had 15 great clubs on one block, all going at once," said the trombonist and bandleader Wycliffe Gordon. "Imagine going into a joint to check out Willie 'The Lion' Smith, and sitting next to you are Duke Ellington and James P. Johnson." Lenox Avenue is thought by some to be one of the most important streets in the world for

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

culture. The Savoy Ballroom was located between 140th and 141st Streets on Lenox Avenue. Other historical venues of Lenox Avenue are Sylvia's Restaurant, located between 126th and 127th; and the Lenox Lounge, located between 124th and 125th.

Transportation

The IRT Lenox Avenue Line runs under the entire length of the street, serving the

New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system in New York City serving the New York City boroughs, boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. It is owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Tr ...

's . The serve Lenox north of West 116th Street, respectively coming from west and east, and the joins in north of West 139th Street. All three run to West 147th Street (Harlem) or from West 146th Street (opposite terminals).

In popular culture

* * The corner of Lenox Avenue and 125th Street is mentioned in the song "When the Revolution Comes" by The Last Poets on their self-titled album (1970). * '' Small Talk at 125th and Lenox'' (1970) is an album by

Gil Scott-Heron Gilbert Scott-Heron (April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011) was an American Jazz poetry, jazz poet, singer, musician, and author known for his work as a spoken-word performer in the 1970s and 1980s. His collaborative efforts with musician Brian Jackso ...

. * '' Lenox Avenue Breakdown'' is an album by jazz alto saxophonist Arthur Blythe. Columbia Records released the album in 1979. * In '' The Fire Next Time'', James Baldwin refers to Lenox Avenue simply as "The Avenue". * The main characters of the

1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...

novel ''

Jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

'' by

Toni Morrison Chloe Anthony Wofford Morrison (born Chloe Ardelia Wofford; February 18, 1931 – August 5, 2019), known as Toni Morrison, was an American novelist and editor. Her first novel, ''The Bluest Eye'', was published in 1970. The critically accl ...

live on Lenox Avenue. * The video for

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...

's 1994 single "

Secret Secrecy is the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups who do not have the "need to know", perhaps while sharing it with other individuals. That which is kept hidden is known as the secret. Secrecy is often controver ...

" was shot on Lenox Avenue. * "Lenox Avenue: Midnight", a well-known poem by Langston Hughes, is set on Lenox Avenue, as is his " The Weary Blues". The avenue is mentioned in his "Juke Box Love Song" and "Consider Me". * The avenue is featured in the first verse of the original

Irving Berlin Irving Berlin (born Israel Isidore Beilin; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-born American composer and songwriter. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook. Berlin received numerous honors including an Acade ...

lyrics of " Puttin' On the Ritz". The song refers to the then-popular fad of poor but flashily dressed black Harlemites parading up and down Lenox Avenue, "Spending ev'ry dime / For a wonderful time". * In the title track of his debut record '' Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous'', Big L raps about 139th Street and Lenox Avenue. * The street signs are heavily featured in the opening titles of the 2016 Netflix series ''

Luke Cage Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Archie Goodwin, George Tuska, Roy Thomas, and John Romita Sr. in 1972, he was the first Af ...

'', which takes place and was filmed in Harlem. * Part of Teyana Taylor's 2018 music video for the remix of " Gonna Love Me" was shot on Lenox Avenue, near a mural of Big L. * The last line of the "Strut Miss Lizzie" patter has "...get set for Lenox Avenue." * In the 1995 movie Die Hard with a Vengeance, Simon Peter Gruber requires Lieutenant

John McClane John McClane Sr. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the ''Die Hard'' franchise, based on Joe Leland from Roderick Thorp's action novel '' Nothing Lasts Forever''. McClane was portrayed in all five films by actor Bruce Willis, and ...

to get to the crossing of Lenox Anenue and the 128th Street, where he is quickly meeting with buddy Zeus (played by Samuel L. Jackson), although the scene was actually shot in Audubon Avenue, close to West 175th Street (

Washington Heights, Manhattan Washington Heights is a neighborhood in the northern part of the Borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is named for Fort Washington (Manhattan), Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the Bennett Park (Ne ...

)

Gallery

File:Malcolm Shabazz Mosque.jpg, Mosque No. 7 at 116th Street File:Ebenezer Gospel Tabernacle Lenox Av jeh.jpg, The Ebenezer Gospel Tabernacle at 121st Street, formerly the Lenox Avenue Unitarian Church (1889), p.59, alt=The Ebenezer Gospel Tabernacle at 121st Street, formerly the Lenox Avenue Unitarian Church (1889): 59 File:2nd Ref Church Harlem sunny jeh.jpg, Ephesus Seventh-Day Adventist Church at 123rd Street, formerly the Second Collegiate Church of Harlem (1887), alt=Ephesus Seventh-Day Adventist Church at 123rd Street, formerly the Second Collegiate Church of Harlem (1887): 64 File:Harlem Hospital 5BBT jeh.JPG, Harlem Hospital at 135th Street File:Savoy West 555 Lenox Ave 138 St jeh.jpg, The Savoy West at 138th Street File:Rainbow over Malcolm X Boulevard.jpg, Rainbow over Malcolm X Boulevard, in a view looking northward from Central Park North

References

External links