This Was Harlem:

New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1982. First printing (stated). Large octavo in light brown DJ, x, 389 pages, b&w illustrations, portraits; 25 cm. Extremely gently bumped top-front corner, other corners extremely mildly rubbed, extremely faint soilling to boards, mostly to front board, bright pages in tight binding, DJ spine sunned, very mild rubbing to DJ spine head and foot, very gentle rubbing to DJ corners, faint green discoloration to front DJ, else Near Fine(-) in Very Good DJ. Hardcover.

African Americans -- New York (State) -- New York -- History. A chronological account of early Harlem covering its literature, painting, music, clubs, churches, and individuals who played important roles in the community. Contents: The road uptown. "Forgotten streets"; Black Bohemia; Social leadership; Music and comedy; Departures and arrivals; A struggle for Harlem -- Shaping a Black metropolis. "The promised land"; Style in ragtime; The beauty business; Harlem at sixteen; Democracy and the flag; Toward a Black theatre; "Here comes my daddy now"; Garvey: "poet and romancer"; From ragtime to jazz -- High and handsome. "What a city!"; "There won't be any more liquor"; Streets of dreams; The Saturday night function; Around midnight; Bye, bye, blackbird; But what was Harlem? -- Life and letters. A tradition of the new; Some writers; A'Lelia Walker -- Hard times. The beat goes on; Sunny gets blue; The Lord will provide; The Depression and the arts; In the ring with Joe; Another war, another time; Harlem explodes; The West Indians -- Style, class, and beyond. At the Savoy; "Cool deal, McNeil"; Seventh Avenue: the Great Black Way; Society; On Strivers Row and Sugar Hill; The thrill is gone. DJ protected in archival mylar sleeve.