West Village in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Cafι Society
Photographed by Larry Gertner, November 23, 2019
1. Cafι Society Marker
The first non-segregated music club in American history, was located in this building. Founder Barney Josephson, a courageous shoe salesman, started the club in 1938.
Famous people like Eleanor Roosevelt, Charlie Chaplin and Piet Mondrian visited “The Wrong Place for the Right People”. Billy Holiday made her debut at the club in 1944 with her song “Strange Fruit” about lynchings in the South.
The Dutch artist Mondrian was inspired by the jazz club when he created the most famous modern painting about New York: Victory Boogie Woogie (Gemeentemuseum The Hague). This painting and Cafι Society stand for freedom.
Presented by the city of The Hague
The Netherland Club of New York (2017)
Erected 2017 by The Netherland Club of New York.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical year for this entry is 1938.
Location. 40° 43.974′ N, 74° 0.111′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in West Village. It is at the intersection of Washington Place and Barrow Street, on the right when traveling east on Washington
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in New York City. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Frances Perkins (within shouting distance of this marker); Edwin Arlington Robinson (within shouting distance of this marker); The Sheridan Square Garden (within shouting distance of this marker); One if by Land, Two if by Sea (within shouting distance of this marker); Alex Haley (1921-1992) (within shouting distance of this marker); Stonewall Forever (within shouting distance of this marker); Lambert Suydam House & Suydam Row (within shouting distance of this marker); Ephraim Ellsworth and the New York Fire Zouaves (about
Photographed by Larry Gertner, December 29, 2020
2. 1 Sheridan Square
The marker is visible just to the left of the fence.
Other markers no longer nearby. General Philip Henry Sheridan (was about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been permanently removed); a different marker also named General Philip Henry Sheridan (was about 300 feet away but has been permanently removed).
Also see . . .
1. Cafι Society. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on December 23, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. Barney Josephson. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on December 23, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
3. Victory Boogie Woogie. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on December 23, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Photographed by Wikipedia, 1939
3. Barney Josephson
Photographed by Wikipedia, Unknown
4. Billie Holiday
Photographed by Wikipedia, Unknown
5. Piet Mondrian's "Victory Boogie Woogie"
Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 23, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 736 times since then and 53 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on December 23, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.
