Rent parties or what are also known as House parties are the creation of Black people. They began back during World War I in Harlem, New York. If you’re not familiar with a rent party...let’s get into it!
During the beginning of the 1920s, estimates list more than 200,000 Blacks moved to Harlem, New York. Many were leaving behind the harsh work in the fields of the Southern states. They lived in a segregated small section of Manhattan, an area roaring with life and amazing activity. The Black community was in roughly 50 blocks long and no more than 8 blocks wide. Housing experts have estimated that 5 to 7 thousand Blacks were living on a single block. How many? Think about that.
So, with all of those people crammed together, living conditions were slum by any standards. To add to this problem, the rent in Harlem was higher. That was by government design. Despite having sky high rents, clean or filthy apartments and furnished rooms were at the top of the food chain. These units were basically priced to deter too many Black people from moving to Harlem. That didn’t work. The owners jacked up the rent, sometimes 2 and 3 times higher than the original rate, and began rolling in the dough as slumlords. They knew that there was basically no other options for them as Blacks.
Many tenants struggled with paying rent and making ends meet. Barely scraping together monthly rent was not uncommon for many. Someone had the bright idea to have a party with some music and refreshments for a donation towards their rent. There you have it. The Rent party/House party was born! It was a brilliant idea when you think about it. A person is generally gonna spend far less than going to a club, they are helping someone in their community and yet will still have a great time on a dime. Brilliant.
Rent parties were a perfect example of how Black people used to look out for one another. We need to think about that. Just sayin'.
Thoughts?
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