The Griot Institute for Africana Studies hosted a trip for University students to visit Harlem, N.Y. on Sept. 29. The trip was for students to visit New York City and gain an understanding of African-American civil and social activity that occurred in Harlem throughout the neighborhood’s lively history.

Students were taken on a tour by a Harlem native. “He tried to leave out politics and religion, and was very sensitive to those topics. I had a really beneficial experience on the trip. It was interesting to see a different part of Harlem than the way it is normally portrayed in Hollywood,” Emily Goldman ’22 said.

The tour began at the Harriet Tubman Memorial and then continued on to other sites that illustrated racial inequality within the city, such as the Precinct 28. Additionally, the tour included at stop the Apollo Theatre, which is best known for featuring African-American performers during a time period filled with segregation. The Apollo Theatre has hosted many famous African-American artists such as Billie Holiday, Michael Jackson, The Supremes, and Aretha Franklin.

“In facilitating this tour, the Griot aimed to promote diversity and education through a memorable, interactive experience of the dynamic space that Harlem occupies. The guided tour revealed unique historical places that have since been reconstructed or repurposed, places easily overlooked on a casual trip to Harlem,” graduate assistant Samantha Stephens said.

“I really enjoyed seeing the murals throughout the tour,” Goldman said. “My favorite one listed rights that minorities have when confronted by the police.”