February 28th, 2011
On February 10th 2011, I attended an event at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in celebration of the life and times of the late great Harlem Photographer Mr. Kwame Gervin. Additionally, the event recognized the latest exhibition at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture called: “Harlem Views / Diasporan Visions: The New Harlem Renaissance Photographers” sponsored by the office of Harlem State Senator Mr. Bill Perkins. The exhibition features the work of twenty five Harlem Photographers, many of whom knew and worked with Mr. Kwame Gervin – they loved him dearly.
After attending the funeral service for Mr. Gervin in 2009, State Sen. Bill Perkins committed himself to finding ways to recognize and celebrate Mr. Gervin and many Harlem Photographers like him who’ve dedicated their lives to telling the story of Harlem via their cameras.
Kwame Gervin was born in Harlem Hospital on July 15, 1932 and attended P.S. 5 in Harlem, later attending Frederick Douglass Junior High School, graduating from Metropolitan High School. He enlisted in the Air Force serving in North Africa, before attending Columbia University for two years. He found his true passion in photography and was ever present with camera in hand to capture the every day struggles and accomplishments happening within the Harlem community. Mr. Gervin and many of the great Photographers of his time are relatively unknown, but what they did helps us know what Harlem was like from the 1920’s through the 1980’s
State Sen. Perkins has formed a group known as NHRP: New Harlem Renaissance Photographers. Now the next generation of Photographers are here to carry on the duty of telling our story.
On March 10, 2011 at 12:00 noon join us at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture as we welcome the community to the Schomburg to view the current exhibition featuring the New Harlem Renaissance Photoghaphers – truely a great body of work.
Harlem Heritage Tours wishes Mr. Howard Dodson a great retirement after 26 years of faithful service to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the Harlem communmity. There would be no Harlem Heritage Tours without the Schomburg and Mr. Howard Dodson.