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New York City Tours
Harlem Civil Rights Multimedia Walking Tour
4.5

Harlem Civil Rights Multimedia Walking Tour

By Harlem Heritage Tours
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Ages 1-99, max of 30 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More


  • Informative, friendly and professional guide
  • Storage for luggage in our cultural center while you are on the tour.
  • wifi internet services
  • Bathroom
  • Entry/Admission - Apollo Theater
What's not included
  • Food and drinks


Start:
  • Harlem Heritage Tourism and Cultural Center, 104 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10026, USA
    Meet at the Harlem Heritage Tourism and Cultural Center, located at 104 Malcolm X BLVD. between 115th - 116th streets. #2 and #3 express trains on IRT line arrive directly to us. We start with intro video presentation before 2 hr. walking tour. Wifi, bathroom and storage for luggage available.
End:
  • Apollo Theater, 253 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027, USA
    Harlem Civil Rights Multimedia Walking Tour ends at the world famous Apollo Theater. Apollo Theater known for launching careers of legendary performers, but it also has served as stage and participant in the civil rights movement. Tour guide will tell you all the stories.

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Pushchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 19487P2

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • The Harlem Heritage Tourism and Cultural Center is just minutes from Mid-Manhattan via uptown express subway.
  • Along the way Harlem tour guide will showcase many restaurants and art and cultural institutions you can visit in Harlem after the tour is complete.
  • Guests welcome to store luggage and bags inside Harlem Heritage Tourism and Cultural Center while on tour.
  • Video, music and still pictures will be presented via portable sound and video equipment.
  • Most travellers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travellers

  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 19487P2

From
£22.31
per adult
Select date and travellers
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

Similar experiences

Itinerary
  • 104 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10026, USA
    Meet at the Harlem Heritage Tourism and Cultural Center, located at 104 Malcolm X BLVD. between 115th - 116th streets. #2 and #3 express trains on IRT line arrive directly to us. We start with intro video presentation before 2 hr. walking tour. Wifi, bathroom and storage for luggage available.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 253 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027, USA
    Harlem Civil Rights Multimedia Walking Tour ends at the world famous Apollo Theater. Apollo Theater known for launching careers of legendary performers, but it also has served as stage and participant in the civil rights movement. Tour guide will tell you all the stories.
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
  • Harlem Heritage Tours
    983
    United States
    Joined in July 2006
  • henya1808
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent and surprising tour
    Excellent tour with an excellent guide. The tour was full of surprises and changed my opinion on Harlem completely. Highly recommended.
    Written 21 October 2024
  • Anne Marie M
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Harlem history comes alive
    Excellent walking tour that brings Harlem history alive. Guide was amazing. Highly recommend this tour. Church service was great
    Written 8 October 2024
  • NayMike
    0 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Guide was a no show! Don’t waste your time
    The guide was a no show! There were at least 15 people disappointed today. Voicemail was full so couldn’t leave a message and they never responded to email. Luckily for us, a fellow tour member worked out which churches were doing gospel and we were able to visit and experience an amazing service. Don’t waste your time or money with these amateurs - google which churches are open to visitors and do it yourself!! So easy and each church super welcoming to visitors! We’ve now lodged claims with our credit card company - should have read the reviews here. This is a common occurrence.
    Written 8 September 2024
  • Citysusan
    0 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Pretty good tour
    Our tour guide was absolutely knowledgeable about his neighborhood. We appreciated hearing about his personal experiences living in Harlem. Meeting up with local residents was a plus. The tour, however, was not quite the Multimedia Harlem Renaissance tour I expected. First, there was no media except for photos on his phone. Second, I was hoping to learn more about the Harlem Renaissance, its important participants and its impact on NYC and on the country. We got a small taste of this info but I hoped for a deeper dive. It was a fun, interesting tour but not as academic as I wished for.
    Written 4 September 2024
  • brianfJ4567CH
    0 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Disappointing
    We had a Saturday tour booked thru Harlem Heritage. An hour before, our tour guide texted to say something came up and he would not be able to make it, leaving a lobby-full of disappointed people. But more disconcerting was the lack of correspondence regarding a refund. Neither the tour guide or the office responded to my inquires regarding a refund of the $80 we paid. I ended up having to go thru my credit card company to resolve the issue. That is far from professional.
    Written 30 July 2024
  • apwalker88
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Neal is a Top Guide
    Wow. Neal is a knowledgeable, passionate, and animated educator. My whole family really enjoyed this tour. Neal took us through history from the 1600s, when Harlem was home to native people, up to the recent decades of hip hop where stars rose literally from the streets of the neighborhood. Most of the tour centered around the Harlem Renaissance - Neal took us to many of the most famous landmarks throughout including the Apollo. I've been in New York for 2 years and this was a really great way to learn a lot about the significant role Harlem played in New York history.
    Written 13 July 2024
  • kenbZ2998PO
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun and Informative!
    We loved this tour and our tour guide Neal was great. Lots of history presented in a fun and interesting way. Plus, our tour ran into two interesting local celebrities. Our tour guide knew them, introduced them, told us about their cultural contribution to Harlem, and wove their personal histories into the overall history of Harlem. It was fabulous. As a side bonus, we each had some really great red velvet cake from a local cake shop - very tasty.
    Written 2 December 2023
  • kenbZ2998PO
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun and Informative
    We loved it and highly recommend it! Plus our tour group ran into two local celebrities, and our super tour guide introduced us, told us why they were each historically important and seamlessly wove their stories into the wonderful Harlem history he was telling us about.
    Written 2 December 2023
  • aliciacF5012PK
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very diverse tour
    I really liked this tour because he shows the reality and complex dynamics of Harlem. Well balanced tour
    Written 1 November 2023
  • Skye M
    0 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Highlight of our Trip
    We organized a Harlem tour with Harlem Heritage Tours for a class of film students exploring the history and culture of NYC. Our knowledgeable guide was excellent and provided a memorable experience for our students with engaging anecdotes both personal and historical about the neighborhood. He expertly provided historical context, connecting the neighborhood's rich history to its vibrant present. We explored iconic landmarks like the Apollo Theater, the Dr. King Towerts and more gaining insight into their cultural significance. We met residents and small business owners, offering a genuine, immersive experience. Our guide's passion and expertise made this tour a resounding success.
    Written 1 November 2023
  • 404gittel
    0 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Disappointing and not what was advertised
    We were supposed to meet up at the Heritage Center. No Multimedia Show as advertised- went straight to the church, were we just waited. We went to church, the gospel wasn’t present. Our guide seemed to go missing while we were in there, he repeated himself, and honestly he was more interested in greeting other people. We left early, as it seemed unorganised. Also we cancelled a trip last year due to illness, and they told us, we could get a refund. We never did.
    Written 18 September 2023
  • 754floriann
    0 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Disappointing start, decided to leave after church visit.
    I booked this tour for 3 people on september 10th. We were supposed to redeem our tickets at the Harlem Heritage Tourism and Cultural Center at 9:00, with the tour supposedly starting at 9:15 with a light breakfast, and time to relax in the Cultural Center. We were several people waiting (around 10-15), until the guide arrives at 9:30. After some talk outside, we went straight to the Canaan Baptist Church nearby for Church service starting at 10:00. We left the church around 11:15. After that (and some historical stories told by the guide on the sidewalk) we decided to leave the tour. The bad weather was part of our decision, but the way it started (late, no apparent organization, no breakfast and Cultural Center visit) didn't enticed us to continue the tour.
    Written 10 September 2023
  • joannem689
    0 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Operator didn’t show up
    With several others we waited quite some time at the Apollo Theatre, but the tour operator did not show up. A complete waste of time & effort.
    Written 5 September 2023
  • Odyssey609971
    0 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    No show guide and tour that couldn’t deliver on its description
    The guide never showed. We called and got no response. On top of that, the description states that the tour will take you onstage at the Apollo and backstage. However, Apollo employees informed us that no one was allowed to go past the gift shop, on a tour or otherwise. So, even if our guide has shown up, we couldn’t have experienced what was promised. Incredibly disappointing.
    Written 2 September 2023
  • 655stanleyg
    0 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Terrible experience
    No one from Viator showed up. We waited an hour. I called the phone number for Viator but they were unable to contact the local company so I still don't know what happened. Very disappointing - would not use Viator again.
    Written 1 September 2023
See all 983 reviews
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles82 reviews
Excellent
65
Very good
4
Average
2
Poor
3
Terrible
8

Maude
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
I have lived in New York City for more than a decade, but I embarrassingly have spent very little of that time exploring Manhattan. I live in Brooklyn and work in Manhattan, and it's easy to get into a routine of commuting back and forth every day, only spending time in the small radius of your office and your apartment, and not taking advantage of all that this incredible city has to offer. The Harlem Heritage Tours are a perfect example of something I should have done years ago.

What prompted me to get out of my bubble and explore Harlem was a book I had been reading, Manning Marable's Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention. I am a dedicated but slow reader, and it took me months to read this wonderful book. When I finished, I realized that so much of Malcolm X's life (including his death) was in the very city that I lived in and I could probably go see some of the locations mentioned in the book in person not far from my home. A quick online search led me to the Harlem Heritage Tours, and specifically, in amazing serendipity, to a Malcolm X focused civil rights tour. I had astonishingly finished the biography of Malcolm X on the anniversary of his death, and in his honor they were doing the civil rights tour that day with a focus on him.

I hightailed it up to Harlem just in time to take the tour and I'm so glad I did. The tour guide was Neal Shoemaker, who was born and raised in Harlem. I couldn't imagine a more well-informed tour guide on the subject. He not only seemed to know everything about Malcolm X and many other civil rights leaders who made a lasting impression on Harlem and the world, he had a personal history with the neighborhood, since it is where he lives and grew up. I went to the tour hoping to see the places where Malcolm X had been, and I did, but I also learned about many other civil rights leaders and important writers like James Baldwin; saw other famous sites of Harlem, like the Apollo Theater; and got a sense of the neighborhood as it is has evolved over the years from the unique perspective of a local.

I can't recommend the Harlem Heritage Tours more highly. It was stunning to see videos and images of the people we were learning about standing in the places where we were standing. Walking around the neighborhood with Neal as our guide, the history I had been reading about for so many months was brought vividly to life. These tours are an invaluable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about a major part of New York City and its important place in world history. If you have the chance, put on your walking shoes and head up to Harlem for a tour!
Written 27 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Franklin R
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
My 17 year old daughter and I went on the tour highlighting the life of Malcolm X when he lived in Harlem, in February 2020. Neal was such a knowledgeable guide - he took us to the exact spots where Malcolm X made his mark in Harlem. He knew so much about the surrounding neighborhoods, and their connections not only to Malcolm X, but also to other civil rights leaders. The tour therefore had the feel of an intricate web of connections between those in the civil rights movement in the United States. The tour took place within the radius of only a few city blocks, and we were able to stand at the actual locations where this history unfolded. I was excited because it really expanded on my knowledge of Malcolm X and the civil rights movement. My daughter, having more than a passing interest in the history of the Civil Rights Movement, but not any historical memory of it, was very impressed and excited, and I think she’ll remember this tour for the rest of her life.
I give this tour my highest recommendation. We’ll do another of Neal’s tours next time we’re in NYC.
Written 7 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alera
San Francisco, CA433 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Neil has deep roots in Harlem and a lot of pride about the neighborhood. The tour went at a good pace, pointing out historic landmarks, but also lending insight into the history of the area and its evolution. Neil seems to pass acquaintances wherever he is; this added a “personal touch” and richness to the tour. We met a variety of local “celebrities” and even got a sneak peak at a band rehearsal inside the iconic Minton’s jazz club. Thoroughly enjoyed the tour and would recommend. Great value for the money and good spend of time.
Written 11 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brittany G
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
Neal is an EXCELLENT, personable, and knowledgable tour guide! I took the the tour with my mother and he made sure she had water and did the tour at a pace that was comfortable for her. Definitely recommend the walking tour over a bus tour because you get to meet local business owners and community leaders as you are taking the tour. He was also flexible with us when we needed to reschedule our tour. We will definitely do another tour if we are back in town. This is a MUST DO in NYC.
Written 22 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mike M
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021 • Family
This is a phenomenal learning experience hosted by the most knowledgeable Harlem native. I am truly inspired to get more involved in my community following this walk through history. I would recommend this tour to anyone, from Harlem natives, visitors to NYC, and anyone in between.
Written 28 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

purespurethoughts
2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
Cons: Guide was a NO SHOW and was unable to get in contact with him until after contacting the 3rd party booking site. It would be nice to even write a review but we never even got a tour. No email, No phone call, No text nothing! Showed up to 104 Malcom X Blvd. to a closed center with no one there. Trip was ruined due to tour not happening had 9 (4 adults and 5 kids) very disappointed and let down clients who came to Harlem specifically to do this tour. Time and money down the drain! Go elsewhere!!! PLEASE I BEG YOU! The tour operator asked us to wait for TWO HOURS to be able to finish the tour. I guess the group that he had prior to us took priority over us?? It is still unclear to me why. I hope they thoroughly enjoyed the their tour.

Pros: The operator tried to find another time to offer us the tour but at that point confidence in his services were lost by most in our group.
Written 29 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We humbly apologize for the tour not happening, we have given this a lot of thought and truly empathize with the reviewer, although we refunded money immediately and tried profusely to do tour later in the day, nothing bothers us more than not satisfying our customers, we will make adjustments ASAP to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
Written 30 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Roving691199
2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023
On holiday from the UK in March, booked this tour for 15 March, paid in advance. No one showed up. Trying calling and emailing- all unanswered. Very disappointed with the lack of any communication. Appreciate that unexpected things can happen but not getting in touch to advise tour cancel and providing a refund is unacceptable. Noticed that Neil is happy to reply to good reviews but not the bad ones- which quite frankly shows a lack of respect for those who have been let down. Would NOT recommend.
Written 7 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Julia C
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Solo
This walking tour was amazing and incredibly informative. Neil made it a memorable experience as he was providing us with context and photos of the Civil Rights Movement while walking with us in Malcom X' footsteps. He was telling us many of the stories of his own upbringing in the neighbourhood and of how people relate to Harlem's history, and also introduced us to community organisers at Markus Meet Malcom. Would totally recommend!
Written 24 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Regina P
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
I can't name one part that was best because the entire tour from beginning to end was superb! We started with casual conversation about the the history of Harlem then our tour guide, Neal Shoemaker, proceeded with fabulous video history, some of which I had never seen. We walked many blocks, the weather was great, not to hot at all. Neal is very knowledgeable of the city, the people and the history of Harlem. We met historical people from Harlem, ventured in the local shops, Haberdasheries and complexes. A superb tour Neal! I learned something new that I will read about, and your approach on the tour with the lecture, video and the walk were on point! It was nice meeting Gator as well! Good luck with all your awesome plans for Harlem! I can't wait to return to Harlem for another of Harlem Heritage Tours, so many to choose from.
Written 12 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Minnie
London, UK1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
Turned up for the tour and as polite as the person was on the phone they had failed to inform us that the tour guide was sick and the tour wasn’t going ahead. He did rescheduled with us two days later and when we called prior to getting to the meeting spot, he again informed us that the tour guide was still sick. However, he himself would honour the tour which was great, or we could have a full refund. We decided to opt for the full refund which he said he would confirm via email which never transpired, and I am still waiting for the refund so Harlem Tours could you please effect my refund as soon as possible. I am however unable to comment on the tour itself which I suspect would be quite interesting.
Written 8 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

Harlem Civil Rights Multimedia Walking Tour provided by Harlem Heritage Tours

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