Harlem YMCA

The Harlem YMCA, also known as the Claude McKay Residence, is located at 180 West 135th Street between Lenox Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City.Built in 1931-32, the red-brown brick building with neo-Georgian details was designed by the Architectural Bureau of the National Council of the YMCA, with James C. Mackenzie, Jr. as the architect in charge. It replaced the building from 1919 across the street. Inside the building is a mural by Aaron Douglas titled "Evolution of Negro Dance."The building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976, and was designated a New York City Landmark in 1998.History and significanceThe Harlem YMCA is a significant landmark of black culture in New York City. Intended primarily for the use of African-American men at a time when most YMCAs were for whites only, it was one of the best equipped YMCAs in the United States.African-American author Maria Celeste lived in the building from 1941 through 1946, Bill Clinton is a current member. and many notable black Americans have stayed at the facility, including Malcolm X - then Malcolm Little - who chose to stay there because of its proximity to his favorite nightclubs.