Harlem & The Rise Of Gospel Music Walking Tour

Overview

The tour is conducted by a New York City licensed tour guide. We offer this tour in French or English. Our tour guides are native speakers if each languages. In this tour we will visit 9 landmark sites which include the first Black Episcopal, Methodist, Pentecostal, and Baptist churches. We will examine their history, their leaders, and their role in the anti-slavery movement as well as the civil rights movement. This tour also looks at the role of Gospel music in the history of the Black church. We will study its growth from the ring shout (the foundation of all African American music), to the Spirituals, the role of the Protestant hymnals, ending with what became known as Gospel Blues, today simply called Gospel music. The tour ends with a visit to a church service where we will listen to a live Gospel choir, it is not a concert but a real church service.

City: New York City

Thu 15 May

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $57.00

Make a reservation

Thu 15 May

Starting at $57.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

A Licensed New York city born Tour Guide with a portable video and audio system.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level

What To Expect

Abyssinian Baptist Church

Our license tour guide will share with you the history of this church. Founded in 1808, Abyssinian Baptist Church is one of the oldest African-American Baptist churches in the United States. Housed in a landmark Gothic- and Tudor-style building in Harlem, Abyssinian embraces a rich history of worship, spiritual leadership, social activism and community service.

Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

Our licensed tour guide will share with you the history of this church. "The Freedom Church" was formed in 1796 by African-American members of the predominantly white John Street Methodist Church. Although that church was abolitionist in its orientation, racial segregation was still enforced in other ways. As one A.M.E. Zion historian described it: The colored members were not permitted to come to the sacrament (Holy Communion) until all the white members, even children, had communedhe first church foundation stone was laid in 1819, and the first rector, serving from 1826 to 1840, was the Rev. Peter Williams, Jr., a leading abolitionist and the first African-American Episcopal priest in New York. He was one of three blacks who served on the first executive committee of the American Anti-Slavery Society

Bethel Gospel Assembly

Our licensed tour guide makes reservations to secure our visitors seats. We will end the tour here. Experience an authentic Sunday morning worship service. This congregation and its members are warm and well coming. The choir gospel and the band are excellent. Very often they are special musical services with gospel music celebrities such as Israel Houghton, Tasha Cobbs, Hezekiah Walker, Johnathan Nelson among others... We do recommend that you stay throughout the whole service, however we do understand if you have to leave.

Apollo Theater

The iconic, world famous theater where countless musicians, comedians have performed.

Show 1 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (30)

dorined266

Feb 2025

Despite the very low temperature, Kaissa made this visit very pleasant and interesting with her humor and knowledge of the city! Thank you Kaissa

Response from Host

Mar 2025

Chère visiteuse ou cher visiteur! Merci beaucoup pour votre commentaire positif! Nous sommes ravis que vous ayez apprécié la visite de l’histoire du Gospel à Harlem avec Kaïssa! Nous espérons que vous avez apprécié la qualité de la messe de l’église St Joseph. Votre satisfaction est notre priorité et vos mots nous touchent beaucoup. N'hésitez pas à revenir nous voir. Bon séjour à New York!

Vanou96

Feb 2025

Thanks to Kaissa for this visit to Harlem and the information on the rise of gospel. We have learned a lot. It was exciting and even my 2 children (15 and 11 years old) enjoyed it. The gospel mass in the Catholic Church of Saint Joseph that followed was also a very good moment, I was moved to tears.

Response from Host

Feb 2025

Vanou, cère visiteuse ou cher visiteur! Merci beaucoup pour votre commentaire positif! Nous sommes ravis que vous ayez apprécié la visite de l’histoire du Gospel à Harlem avec Kaïssa! Nous sommes ravis de lire que vous avez tout particulièrement apprécié la qualité de la messe de l’église St Joseph. Votre satisfaction est notre priorité et vos mots nous touchent beaucoup. N'hésitez pas à revenir nous voir. Bon séjour à New York!

J3754LNsaral

Feb 2025

The visit was very interesting, we learned a lot. We'll continue with Mass in a truly beautiful church!

Response from Host

Feb 2025

Chère visiteuse ou cher visiteur! Merci beaucoup pour votre commentaire positif! Nous sommes ravis que vous ayez apprécié La visite de l’histoire du Gospel à Harlem avec Kaïssa! Nous sommes ravis de lire que vous avez tout particulièrement apprécié son professionnalisme et sa gentillesse ainsi que la qualité de la messe de l’église. Votre satisfaction est notre priorité et vos mots nous touchent beaucoup. N'hésitez pas à revenir nous voir. Bon séjour à New York!