The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-01-21
HARLEM
Grace Capitol of the Nation"
By FLOYD G. SNELSON'
New YORK
BEST THEATRE SEASON

IHuSNIoolHS Headlng Tor Broadway
Oh, like picket line in distress
Thanks to my good fortune to have
seen and reviewed just few of the
cream of the crop" and Pm see
ING them nightly.
"Mamba's Daughters" . star, Ethel
Waters, Queen of Song" time
Worn version of the deep South"
depicting the vicissitudes of serfdom.
miscegenation and plantation life of
the darker people of the minority black
races in America. Fredi WASHINGTON
repeats her role as 'Peola" famed in
the limitation of Life" while Anne
Wiggins-Brown is equally repIete from
her splendid rendition as Bess in
"Porgy and Bess' the Gershwin melo-
drama Georgette Harvey, an old
timer who can play anything in that
line is right at home and can give
them all the p's and as in shows or
kindred 49,. It's like falIin' off a log to
Miss Harvey . . The big sport and
proyerbial "pimp" is right down the
line to Willie Bryant . . he knows bet
ter than the producer see it and be
convinced
Lew Leslie's Blackbirds I saw in
Boston e.. star Lena Horne, dainty
little dansuese destined to be the Flor
cncc Mills of today is doing her best
TO live up to her masterpiece . and
she's doing well e.. and marked to do
we'll She has little support but it
will follow "Sing Out The News.
with Rex Ingram and Henrietta Love
less, and about 40 colored performers,
who score with the unusual song,
Franklin d. Roosevelt Jones'"
Policy Kings" the numbers play
with Norman Astwood, Cora Green
Bessie De Sassure, Enid Raphael,
NlIor Guildford- breezy musical com
ody, with a brief showing you'll
Never Know" starring Lupe Velez, Lib
by HOLMAN, Clifton Webb A great
display Of expensive furs and dresses
and the great Cole Porter song hits,
"McCoy' and THAT Long Last Love"
"Androcles and The Lion" Federal
Theatre play with Dan Haines, Edna
Thomas, Marie Young, Hilda OfIev.
etc, the Roman mythology that gives
the cast splendid opportunities for
clever acting. I certainly enjoyed the
amateur play Having A Good Time"
by Rose McCIendon Players with Dick
Campbell, Evelyn Warner, MurjeI
Than, etc. that was quite pleasing.
Hp h9rio, ~
the greatest reception to an artist 7
have ever witnessed, the warmth and
appreciation was beyond imagination
Speaking Of greats" the First Annual
Benefit the Colored Actors Cfiuld. Inc
presented the most distinguished pro
cram Of nationally known stars ever
gwen by the race sponsorship. Bill
johnson demonstrated his reputation
and proves in his profession.
These are Just a few on my calendar
so far, and its checked full for the newt
few weeks. and l promise to keep nv
readers posted Of the highlights in this
column.
NEW YORK NIGHT LIFE
1t IS remarkably interesting and
Starthngly noteworthy to trace the be-
ginning OF the night life of New York
City, which today holds one of the most
glamorous spotlights of the world,
In an article in the New York Even
ing Telegram dated February u, 1906
a most vivid picture of old Manhattan
Is painted with quite a picturesque
background.
The wealth and fashion of the col
ored race find a new center untown
(35rd Street,. With the steady march
OIL population uptown has come a new
maven Tor the race During the last
lew years West 53rd Street from 9Th
avenue to 9Th Avenue has become the
nuo and mecca of the race. Ten years
ago the principal colored colonies were
III The vicinity of Thompson Street.
around Mlnneta Lane, McDougal
street and a section of the Tenderloin
o9th Street. 9th to 9th avenues) now
known as 'HelPs Kitchen Fifty-third
street now (l9O6) is to the colored
colonies what 9th Avenue is to white
society. There flock the duskv-hued
intellectual lights and colored aristoc-
rracy' A decade ago there were only a
lew scattered tenements occupied bv
colored. Now with the exception Of
one short block on 53rd Street from
broadway to 9TH Avenue there is
scarcely a house not occupied by col
ored people. There is not spot in
Ine world OF its size where there are so
many diversified interests to be found"
These astounding revelations reveal
t3e romantic life of race that gave
ola Manhattan the first real night life
t Mlthln ITS shores. The very conserva-
1--WE Dutch, Puritan and Quaker fathers
OF Gotham had not the slightest idea
81 large evening" well spent until
tney found it to be had in the bizarre
colored quarter.
Another lively colored section that
urlved IN the gay nineties was in the
n