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Presentation: Harlem of the West with Lewis Watts

Sunday, 1/7/2024
2:00 - 3:30
Latino/Hispanic Meeting Room A
Latino/Hispanic Meeting Room B
Main Library
Address

100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
United States

Contact Telephone

Lewis Watts will present an illuminating slide show and talk about his work and research on the book, Harlem of the West: The San Francisco Fillmore Jazz EraHarlem of the West Book Cover

Through dozens of archival photographs and oral accounts from the neighborhood residents and musicians who experienced it at its height, the Harlem of the West SF Project celebrates this unique and rediscovered chapter in jazz history and the African-American experience on the West Coast. The Project is a platform for the Fillmore’s musicians, nightclub owners and residents of the 1940s and 1950s to tell the neighborhood’s history in their own words, as well as feature rarely seen photographs and memorabilia. The new edition of Harlem of the West: The San Francisco Fillmore Jazz ErLewis Watts portraita book has been recently republished by Heyday Books. The edition features newly discovered photographs and memorabilia, as well as additional interviews with those who lived and played in the Fillmore at the height of its glory.

Our Jan/Feb On the Same Page author Margaret Wilkerson Sexton acknowledges Harlem of the West as a key source of inspiration for her book, On the Rooftop.

Lewis Watts is a photographer, archivist, and professor emeritus of art at UC Santa Cruz with a longstanding interest in the cultural landscape of the African diaspora in the Bay Area and internationally. 

Connect:

Lewis Watts - Instagram 

Heyday - Website | Heyday - Instagram 

 

 


On The Same Page is a bimonthly city-wide read.

Learn more about local history.

Connect to engaging discussions and performances related to the Black community.

More Than a Month recognizes important events in Black history, honors community and national leaders and fosters steps towards collective change. Programming features authors, poets and craft classes. 


This program is sponsored by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.


Attending Programs

For questions about the program or help registering, contact sfplcpp@sfpl.orgAll programs are drop-in (no registration necessary) unless otherwise noted. All SFPL locations are wheelchair accessible. For accommodations (such as ASL or language interpretation), call (415) 557-4557 or contact accessibility@sfpl.org. Requesting at least 3 business days in advance will help ensure availability.

Notice: This event may be filmed or photographed. By participating in this event, you consent to have your likeness used for the Library’s archival purposes and promotional materials. If you do not want to be photographed, please inform a staff person or the photographer. A sticker will be provided to help identify you so that we can avoid capturing your image.


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