religion

Harlem’s institutions, whether they are religious, educational, or social are all organizations built to better the community. There has been a great change in funding to the neighborhood as the city realizes that African Americans, who are the majority of the population in Harlem, play an increasing role in politics and social and artistic networking. This funding is encouraging the cultural revival of the neighborhood between 96th street and 150th street.

In the late nineteenth century, Germans, German Jews and Eastern European Jews populated most of Harlem. Shortly after the turn of the century, blacks began moving into Harlem and the Jews moved further north. Many synagogues, temples, and theatres were renovated and became churches and communal centers. The first African Americans to move to Harlem were Christians who followed St. Philip's Episcopal church. After that many more denominations of Christianity followed. Malcolm X brought Black Muslims to Harlem and Arthur Wentworth Matthew brought Black Hebrews.

The Christian population of Harlem has always been the largest religious group and the most notable congregation is the Abyssinian Baptist Church. The Abyssinian Baptist Church was founded in 1808 due to segregation in a white Baptist church. It is New York’s oldest remaining African American church. The church has moved from its original building in lower Manhattan on Anthony Street (later Worth Street), to its present day location in Harlem over the course of the century following its founding. The current building, situated at 132 Odell Clark Place (138th Street) between Malcolm X Boulevard and Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard was designed by Charles W Bolton and opened in June of 1923 for service. Many influential and powerful civil rights leaders such as Samuel Proctor, Adam Clayton Powell, Sr. and Powell, Jr. held the pulpit. Today, pastor Dr. Calvin O Butts, III presides over this rich historical and communal landmark. Butts founded the Abyssinian Development Corporation, which has raised more than $250 million for investments in Harlem and provided many jobs for the community. This corporation was founded when Butts called out for the people to rebuild and develop the community and economy. The Abyssinian Church, members, and staff may be partially responsible for the current gentrification and economic growth experienced in Harlem today.

Founded in Chicago in 1930 by Wali Farad Muhammad, the Nation of Islam changed over its journey to becoming one of Harlem’s main religions. Malcolm X helped the movement grow, but later broke from it after a pilgrimage to Mecca. He started his own religious organization, the Organization for Afro-American Unity, which was more in keeping with orthodox Islam. In Harlem, Malcolm X, or El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, gave speeches protesting violence and promoting religious observance. Today, Mosque Number Seven stands at 102 West 116th Street off of Malcolm X Boulevard, and is called Malcolm Shabazz Masjid, in honor of Malcolm X.

As an alternative to Christianity, some blacks chose Judaism. After the rediscovery of Ethiopian Jews and their trips to Israel, many African Americans chose to become Jewish. Several sects of Black Judaism have developed. Arthur Wentworth Matthew founded the religious organization called the Commandment Keepers. This group believes they are direct descendants of King Solomon and Queen Sheba, through the Ethiopian Jewry. The Commandment Keepers sustain some contact with mainstream Jews although they follow a modified version of classical Jewish law. The only synagogue of this sect in New York City is the Commandment Keepers Congregation at 1 W 123rd St in Harlem. An all black congregation, it is similar in some respects to Hassidim and the prayers are of Sephardic origin. Several religions can be seen in Harlem, but just walking up Malcolm X Boulevard one can see one of the highest concentrations of churches, peaking at three and four per city block. One thing that can be said about Harlem is that it is a religious neighborhood.