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Renaissance Ballroom & Casino facts for kids
The Harlem Renaissance Entertainment Complex
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| Former names | R'naissance Casino Ballroom (1926) |
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| Address | 2341–2349 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard Harlem |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1924 |
| Closed | 1979 |
| Demolished | 2015 |
| Architect | Harry Creighton Ingalls |
The Renaissance Ballroom & Casino was a famous entertainment spot in New York City. It opened in 1924 in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan. This large building had a casino, a ballroom, a theater with 900 seats, and even retail stores. It was located on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard, between 137th and 138th Streets. People often called it "the Renny."
Contents
History of the Renny
The Renaissance Theatre Building, or "the Renny," first opened its doors in January 1921. It was special because African Americans built and owned it until 1931. The Renny was a fancy place for many different events. It hosted exciting prize fights and long dance marathons. People also came to watch movies, enjoy concerts, and see live stage shows.
A Hub for Harlem's Culture
The Renny was a popular meeting spot for social clubs and political groups in Harlem. People loved to dance popular styles like the Charleston, Lindy Hop, and Black Bottom. Famous jazz musicians played live music for them. Big names like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Ella Fitzgerald performed there. In the 1920s, the Renaissance Ballroom was known as a "Black Mecca." This meant it was a very important place for Black culture.
The Harlem Renaissance Era
The Renny was a key part of the Harlem Renaissance. This was a time when African American art and culture grew and became very popular. It was also called the "New Negro Movement." Three men, William H. Roach, Cleophus Charity, and Joseph H. Sweeney, helped build the Renaissance Complex. They were members of Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association.
Building the Renny
An African-American company called The Sarco Realty & Holding Company, Inc., built and managed the Renny. They raised money by selling shares to the public. William H. Roach was the president of Sarco. Cleo Charity and Joseph Henry Sweeney were also important leaders. Sarco Realty hired Isaac A. Hopper's Sons to construct the building. It cost $175,000 to build. Sarco Realty owned and ran the Renaissance Casino and Theatre until 1931.
Original Design and Features
The Renaissance was designed by Harry Creighton Ingalls. He also designed other famous theaters in New York. The building's style was Moorish, with colorful tiles and large windows. Inside, besides the ballroom, there was a billiard room, shops, and a restaurant called China House.
Home of the Harlem Rens
The Renny was also home to a famous basketball team called the Harlem Rens. The theater showed movies by Oscar Micheaux, who was the first African American to make full-length films. The NAACP also held important meetings there.
Harlem's Jazz Scene
The Renaissance Ballroom was one of several famous jazz spots in Harlem during the 1920s. Other well-known places included the Cotton Club and the Savoy Ballroom. What made the Renny special was that it welcomed African Americans. Some other clubs in Harlem at the time did not.
Memorable Events
Many important events happened at the Renaissance. In 1953, David Dinkins had his wedding reception there. David Dinkins later became the first African American mayor of New York City. In the 1990s, the Renny was even used as a filming location for Spike Lee's movie Jungle Fever.
The Renny's Later Years
The Renaissance Complex closed its doors in 1979. In 1989, a group called the Abyssinian Development Corporation bought the Renny. They hoped to fix it up, but this plan did not happen. There were also attempts in 1991 to make the Renaissance a protected landmark, but that also did not happen.
New Life for the Location
In May 2014, the Abyssinian Development Corporation sold the Renaissance Complex for $15 million. In 2015, a developer from New York started building a new residential complex there. This new building is also called "The Renny." It has special features like solar panels and a green roof. These features make it good for the environment.
Community Concerns
Before the new Renny was built in 2015, some Harlem residents were worried. They felt that the new building might not help the African American community in the area. They also worried that it would destroy an important part of Harlem's history and the history of the U.S..