Harlem & The Rise Of Gospel Music Walking Tour

Mt. Olivet Baptist Church is a Southern Baptist church that has faithfully ministered and served our local community for over 200 years.(15 min)

The address refers to a section of Malcolm X Boulevard (formerly Lenox Avenue) in Harlem, New York City, specifically between 118th and 120th Streets. This area falls within the 10027 zip code. Malcolm X Boulevard runs north-south through Harlem, and the specified section is in the heart of the neighborhood.(15 min)

Malcolm X Blvd & W 124th St New York, NY 10027 USA. Harlem Renaissance(15 min)

The iconic, world famous theater where countless musicians, comedians have performed.(5 min)

Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd & West 133rd Street, New York, NY, USA(15 min)

Lenox Ave & West 135th Street, New York, NY, USA Songbird(15 min)

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(20 min)

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.(20 min)