The National Jazz Museum in Harlem, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is a thriving center for jazz that stimulates hearts and minds, and reaches out to diverse audiences to enjoy this quintessential American music. The Museum was founded in 1997 by Leonard Garment, Counsel to two U.S. Presidents, and an accomplished jazz saxophonist, Abraham D. Sofaer, a former U.S. District Judge who gave the initial gift in honor of his brother-in-law Richard J. Scheuer, Jr., and matching funds from the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone. Our mission is to preserve, promote and present jazz by inspiring knowledge, appreciation and the celebration of jazz locally, nationally and internationally.
The National Jazz Museum in Harlem's Visitors Center has featured exhibits such as The Ghosts of Harlem by American music producer, photographer, and author Hank O'Neal. The show included images of Harlem jazz legends that O'Neal had the chance to interview and photograph for his book of the same name. The Visitors Center also houses books, recordings, and documentaries for guests to enjoy as well as photographs of contemporary jazz musicians.
The museum has many programs that will interest anyone, from childhood to adulthood. One such program we have is an in-depth look at creativity and civil rights during the Jazz Age and beyond. Learn about NY State History with a multifaceted look at cultural changes in Harlem after the Great Migration. Students actively engage with jazz as they explore the development and transformation of American culture. By the end of the workshop students will be able to identify artists, writers, musicians, song titles, and composers associated with the Jazz Age in Harlem.
