Seven to Save Spotlight: New York Amsterdam News HQ Building
NY Amsterdam News Harlem HQ building seen at an angle with a mural visible on the side facade.
Publisher Elinor Tatum’s hands showing off photo plates featuring Martin Luther King Jr. from the newspaper archives.
Inside the newsrooms, which retains many original elements and artifacts from the newspaper’s 100+ year history.
“The League is thrilled to recognize the historic headquarters of the New York Amsterdam News on our 2025-2026 Seven to Save list,” said Caitlin Meives, Director of Preservation for the Preservation League of NYS. “The storied Black-owned newspaper, one of the oldest and most influential in the country, has been in their Harlem location since 1936, and it vital that this history be protected and celebrated.”
The New York Amsterdam News was started more than a century ago and has continued to be one of the most important Black newspapers in the country. Serving a Black audience since 1909, the newspaper has been in residence in their Harlem building, around the corner from the historic Apollo Theatre, since 1936. Their original signage remains intact on the building’s façade. Though the newspaper is still actively being produced, the paper’s publisher AmNews Corp. no longer has the resources to both pay the steep property taxes and keep up with building maintenance, putting this irreplaceable treasure at risk.
About The Amsterdam News Educational Foundation
The Amsterdam News and its headquarters have never just been a newspaper and a building. Rather, they have both always been vital institutions committed to empowering the Black and Brown community through fearless journalism and innovative storytelling. Now the Amsterdam News Educational Foundation is focused on converting this iconic institution, arguably the most treasured building in Harlem, into a public gathering place and museum. Learn more at amsterdamnews.com/save-this-harlem-treasure
Photo: “New York Amsterdam News Editorial Dept. Entrance” in original gold foil (circa 1930) on an interior door.
To save and celebrate this Harlem landmark, the Amsterdam News Educational Foundation, established in 1991, is focusing on taking over ownership of this irreplaceable Harlem institution and spearheading its restoration and preservation. Their recently launched "Save This Harlem Treasure" campaign, calls for the building to be home to a national museum celebrating the Black press' crucial role in the ongoing work of U.S. civil rights, including a "step back in time" 1930s newsroom in addition to being a vibrant public gathering place and entertainment/dining nexus. The newspaper and foundation would continue to operate out of the building on the second floor with the rest of the building for museum and public use.
Historic places important to Black heritage and culture are chronically under-represented. The League will work with the Foundation to increase public awareness of this historic landmark, drawing attention to its importance and potential to celebrate a unique piece of NYC history.
“We are deeply honored to join our colleagues across New York State in this important recognition by the Preservation League of NYS,” said Elinor R. Tatum, Board Chair, Amsterdam News Educational Foundation. “Saving our Amsterdam News Headquarters on Frederick Douglass Blvd. around the corner from the equally historic Apollo Theatre, creating a museum and public gathering place that celebrates the pivotal role the Black press continues to play in civil rights in our nation while also continuing to give our 116-year-old Black newspaper a home the Harlem community can easily access – all incredibly important. We couldn’t be more grateful.”