Wow. Look at this stunning beige brick building. This is Alpha House at 203 West 138th Street. It’s more than just a house. It’s a cornerstone of Black history in New York City. This very building played host to incredible moments and influential figures.
Alpha House wasn’t always a single-family home. In 1923 the Eta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity acquired it. This chapter established itself at Columbia University in 1909. They called themselves “The Jewel”. Can you imagine the pride?
The house became a vibrant hub. Prominent people spoke here. W P Beazell the managing editor of The New York World gave a speech in 1926. Well-known Black men and women attended. Ralph E Mizelle the chapter president spoke about the “go to high school and college” movement. Alpha Phi Alpha pushed education.
The upper floors housed members often alumni. One resident Claude Thurston Ferebee met his wife Dorothy Boulding here. She would become a member of UNICEF and President Kennedy’s Council for Food for Peace. Their love story unfolded within these walls.
Dr I A McGowan a resident here in 1926 became Harlem Hospital’s first Black intern. A monumental achievement. The hospital protected him from prejudice. His presence was a powerful symbol.
The house’s history is intertwined with that of Marcus Garvey. A fraternity member A M Smith thought Garvey’s imprisonment was justified. Another Clarence Benjamin Curley was Garvey’s accountant. He didn’t agree.
Curley and his family later bought Alpha House. He founded the National Negro Fraternal Association a life insurance firm. It was the first Black-owned one in New York State. He also started the People’s Credit Union.
In 1935 Curley leased part of the house. Lorenzo “Lonnie” Debman opened a funeral home here.
Even after the Curleys moved out Alpha House remained significant. Goldie Seifert moved the Charles C Seifert Research Library here. It was as extensive as the original Schomburg Collection. Lectures and educational functions took place here. Dr William Leo Hansberry a Howard University anthropologist gave a series of lectures on Africa.
Alpha House played a key role in Harlem’s cultural and intellectual life. It was a center for activism education and community building. The building’s 2021 renovation returned it to a single-family home. But the legacy of Alpha House lives on. This building stands as a testament to the achievements of African Americans. Their contributions are forever etched in this historic house.