Historian Henry Louis Gates once wrote that the Harlem Renaissance was “surely as gay as it was Black.” Several of the key figures of the Harlem Renaissance engaged in same-gender relationships, and LGBTQ+ culture flourished alongside Black culture in Harlem nightclubs and drag balls. 

For this activity, place students into partners. Have each pair select one of the featured historic sites from the NYC LGBTQ+ Historic Sites Project’s Harlem Renaissance map. Partners should read their chosen site’s description from the website and take notes to share with the whole class. 

Have students share about their site and its significance with the full class. As a possible extension, create a map of the sites using Google Maps or another mapping software. If your class is in proximity to New York City, consider taking a walking tour of the historic sites and having students present their chosen site along the way.