The other night was a stand-out occasion when Save Harlem Now!, collaborating with the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, presented an enthralling program, Two Voices: One Harlem. This engaging presentation was a three way conversation between literary powerhouses. Dr. David Levering Lewis is a two-time Pulitzer Prize–winning author and historian. Author of more than 30 titles, with three million books in print, Victoria Christopher Murray is a New York Times bestseller. And Sylvia L. White is secretary of the Harlem Writers Guild.
Just what made it such a splendid night? Well to begin with, following this wicked winter of our collective discontent, with the mild breezes of spring wafting about, the environment was wonderfully warm. Moreover, if the illustrious Schomburg Center is 100-years old, dear Dr. Lewis is soon (May 25) to be 90. And most generously, mindful of perpetuating his legacy of elegant erudition and African American scholarship far into the future, it was announced that Dr. Lewis recently made a gift of $1 million for the annual David Levering Lewis Prize matched by the Leon Levy Foundation for the best new book concerning the African Diaspora.
A recipient of the National Humanities Medal, Dr. Lewis is the author of twelve books, mostly investigating African American history, culture, and attainment. Perhaps the most impactful is his vivid analysis of the Harlem Renaissance, “When Harlem Was in Vogue.” But the reason for his presence a week ago was his in-depth knowledge of statesman W.E.B. Du Bois, the subject of his landmark two-volume biography.
Winner of 10 African American Literary commendations and 2016’s NAACP Image Award, Victoria Christopher Murray was on hand to delve into her latest novel, “Harlem Rhapsody,” a captivating account of the many loves, particularly writer Jessie Fauset, of Dr. Du Bois who evidently was a formidable Romeo. If some half dozen of Ms. Murray’s books have already been made into movies for Lifetime, from all we in a rapt audience heard, this one is certain for cinematic dramatization as well!
Michael Henry Adams photos
Donna Van Der Zee and Mary Helen Thomas 
Lana Turner, on Dr. Lewis’ right, brought out the full force of Harlem’s Literary Society 
Dr. David Levering Lewis and Victoria Christopher Murray discussed W.E.B. Du Bois’ life and loves 
Dr. David Levering Lewis is all smiles accepting Save Harlem Now’s! Lifetime Achievement Award from the preservation group’s president Valerie Jo Bradley as novelist Victoria Christopher Murray looks on, MHA
Previously deputy executive director of the Harlem Hospital Center, Sylvia White served as the night’s interlocutor or one might even almost say, its referee. Although calmly presented, the contrasting insights into the lives and personalities of their subjects were well matched — especially when addressing what made Du Bois so irresistible to many women. Was it his mind? His masterful confidence when taking control? Relating such mysteries, each contributor was commanding. Only as both delivered detailed insights into the past in a collegial way, exhibiting much mutual admiration, Ms. White’s role might best be characterized as that of the evening’s choreographer?
At its close, Valerie Jo Bradley, president of Save Harlem Now!, paid tribute to Dr. Lewis with a lifetime achievement award for his important endeavors to preserve both Harlem’s intellectual and architectural heritage. She also gave a lovely bouquet of flowers to Claudette Brady, who after a little less than three years, is departing as the 11-year old group’s executive director.
Few who were there will forget the moment in 2015, that Brady first made a name for herself among New York City’s historic preservation community. Threatened with demonstrations if they failed to add an African American to their symposium celebrating the 50th anniversary of the city’s preservation ordinance, The Museum of the City of New York added Ms. Brady.
It’s a good thing they did too. During his address, Steven Spinola, the New York Real Estate Board president, sought to trivialize preserving old buildings as both elitist and racist. He contended that protecting buildings with landmark designation, made maintaining them too expensive to utilize as affordable housing. He also suggested that officially designated historic districts had the least racial and income diversity in the city.
Speaking immediately after, Brady begged to differ. “Really? I work in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Like Harlem, it’s a community of color. But, thanks to their status as landmarks and the federal investment tax credit, we just restored two fifty-unit apartment buildings that are now not just 100% affordable, but 100% low-income housing. Besides that, our research shows that buildings eligible to become landmarks represent the largest group of rent regulated apartments in the city: that existing rent controlled and rent stabilized units are by far more accessible to working class people than any new ones!”
Like the exciting public program in the Schomburg auditorium, she planned Two Voices: One Harlem, helping to realize the new Central Harlem West 130th-132nd Historic District and outlining their proposed Manhattan North and 135th Street Historic Districts. These are just some of the examples of the work Brady has successfully undertaken for Save Harlem Now! Like all who participated in Two Voices: One Harlem, she’s to be commended.
They and others do the heroic work that must be done, assuring that Black history and African American excellence, “shall not perish from the earth,” neither in Harlem, nor Bedford-Stuyvesant, or any other Black area.
“Black history,” said Ms. Brady handing his award to a beaming Dr. Lewis, “is American history and thanks to your efforts, we are not about to be erased!”
Delightfully rendered coverage of a Schomburg event whose larger importance the welcome preservationist achievements of Save Harlem Now! are well recited by the Amsterdam News’s eminent cultural critic. David Levering Lewis