Harlem Stakes Its Claim as the True Big Apple: A Homecoming Celebration 87 Years in the Making
By Francis Page, Jr.
Click here for updates on this story
May 13, 2025 (Houston Style Magazine) — This May, all roads lead to Harlem as the community boldly reclaims what history has quietly whispered for decades — that the cultural heartbeat of Black America is also the birthplace of one of the most iconic nicknames in the world: The Big Apple.
On Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., the Harlem Tourism Board (HTB) will host a dynamic, daylong presentation as part of the celebrated NYCxDesign Festival at the Harlem Renaissance Marriott Hotel. The centerpiece of the event is the unveiling of a long-overdue tribute — the “Birthplace of the Big Apple” commemorative sculpture, designed by HTB Creative-In-Residence Regi Taylor, a visionary Harlem artist and cultural advocate.
A Bold Reclamation of History
The glitzy myth that a 1920s sportswriter coined the phrase “The Big Apple” from racetrack chatter in New Orleans may have circulated for decades — but it’s time to set the record straight. Thanks to meticulous research by Taylor, we now know that it was Harlem’s own Cab Calloway, the legendary jazz bandleader and style icon, who defined New York City as “The Big Apple” in 1938, in his groundbreaking Hepster’s Dictionary. That dictionary was the first ever published by a Black American, introducing the world not only to the rhythms of Harlem slang but to Harlem’s undeniable impact on global culture.
“The evidence makes it clear,” Taylor affirms, “that the globally iconic New York City nickname, ‘The Big Apple,’ is a cultural legacy of Harlem — evolved from organic slang and broadcast globally through the Harlem Renaissance’s electric pulse.”
Sculpting Legacy, One Apple at a Time
Taylor’s revelations have been affirmed by respected voices, including former Manhattan Borough Historian Doris Rosenblum, who publicly endorsed Taylor’s claims after reviewing his exhaustive findings sourced from Harlem’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
With community blessing from Central Harlem’s Community Board 10, Taylor and the Harlem Tourism Board are setting in motion a vision for a permanent public monument honoring Harlem as the true origin of the Big Apple — a reminder that culture and identity are as much about who creates the stories as who tells them.
Art, Jewelry, and Jive – How to Join the Movement
To fund this historic sculpture, Harlem’s own Gary Jones, CEO of New York City Jewelry Connection, collaborated with Taylor to release a stunning sterling silver Big Apple pendant modeled after the sculpture itself. Those who support the cause by purchasing a pendant before the NYCxDesign event will receive:
A thank-you t-shirt from the Birthplace of the Big Apple collection: T-shirt collection
A digital copy of the 1944 6th edition of Cab Calloway’s Hepster’s Dictionary — an invaluable piece of Harlem and American linguistic history
Shoppers can purchase the pendant at hbcuamazing.com. For more details about t-shirts or the digital keepsake, contact: villageofharlem@gmail.com.
Why This Matters to Houston
For the readers of Houston Style Magazine, this is more than a New York story — it’s a celebration of Black brilliance, creativity, and cultural reclamation. As Houston continues to uplift our local icons, trailblazers, and storytellers, we applaud Harlem’s efforts to ensure that the truths of our shared legacy rise to the surface — polished, powerful, and proudly displayed for generations to come.
So, whether you’re a history lover, art enthusiast, or culture defender, Tuesday, May 20th marks a moment worth tuning in for. Harlem’s apple is polished and ready — and it’s time the world knows who really grew it.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
Jo-Carolyn Goodeeditorial@stylemagazine.com7133205611
