A Microhistory of Community Activism in Harlem - The Academy for Black and Latin Education

More than 60 years after the landmark ruling of Brown v. Board of Education, educational inequity persists in American public schools. In the 1960s, in response to consistent educational inequity, community members in Harlem pursued educational initiatives outside of the public school.

This exhibit explores the history and philosophy of the Academy for Black and Latin Education (ABLE), formerly known as the West Side Street Academy. ABLE relied on community and educational activism in order to promote social change. The exhibit will introduce the academy’s ideals and purposes, and discuss conflicts the academy had to face before sharing voices of students in order to reflect on the academy and its accomplishments.