Greenwich Village in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
70 Fifth Avenue
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, May 22, 2022
1. 70 Fifth Avenue Marker
This building served as headquarters for the NAACP and as the early home of numerous other progressive, human rights, and civil liberties organizations. It also housed W.E.B. Dubois' The Crisis magazine, a platform for civil rights advocacy and for writers Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston and Countee Cullen, among others.
Erected 2022 by Village Preservation.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Charity & Public Work • Civil Rights. In addition, it is included in the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation series list.
Location. 40° 44.119′ N, 73° 59.66′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in Greenwich Village. Marker is at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 13th Street, on the right when traveling south on Fifth Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 70 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10011, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Martha Graham (1894-1991) (a few steps from this marker); The First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Salmagundi Club (about 400 feet away); Anaïs Nin
this page online
Also see . . .
1. The 1913 Educational Building - 70 Fifth Avenue. Daytonian in Manhattan website entry (Submitted on June 22, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. Plaque Unveiled...Honoring Civil Rights History: Video and Photos. Defend Village Preservation (05/13/22):
"We were joined on Tuesday by The New School, Councilmember Erik Bottcher, an array of luminary speakers, and scores of New Yorkers for the unveiling of our 20th plaque at 70 Fifth Avenue, the former headquarters of the NAACP. This extraordinary building served in the early 20th century as an unparalleled center for social activism, also housing The Crisis Magazine, the National Civil Liberties Bureau (which became the American Civil Liberties Union), the Citizen’s National Committee for Sacco-Vanzetti, the American Federation of Teachers, the American Friends of Spanish Democracy, the League for the Abolition of Capital Punishment, the Women’s Peace Party, the League for Industrial Democracy, and the Near East Foundation, which was founded to combat the Armenian(Submitted on May 25, 2022.)Genocide."Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, May 22, 20222. 70 Fifth Avenue Marker - wide view
3. Why Isn’t This Landmarked? 70 Fifth Avenue. Defend Village Preservation website entry (04/18/2020):
Part of their "Why Isn't This Landmarked?" series, the article provides an in-depth look at what organizations were based in the building.
On the NAACP's tenure: "While headquartered at 70 Fifth Avenue, the NAACP waged remarkable, historic campaigns. It opposed President Wilson’s imposition of segregation upon the federal workforce, protested the demeaning portrayals of African Americans and glorification of the Ku Klux Klan in the film The Birth of A Nation, and called for federal anti-lynching legislation to stem the rising tide of race-based violence in the country. The organization worked to propose legislation prohibiting race-based discrimination in housing and employment, and demanded fair and equal treatment for black soldiers in World War I, winning the ability of African Americans to become commissioned officers and to join the American Bar Association....Furthermore, while located at 70 Fifth avenue, the NAACP successfully secured rulings from the Supreme Court striking down “grandfather” clauses that disenfranchised black voters and “white only” primaries which prevented blacks from running for office. While at this address, the NAACP also began their iconic campaign of hanging a flag printed with the words “A MAN WAS LYNCHED YESTERDAY”(Submitted on May 25, 2022.)outside their office window on Fifth Avenue following each such act of racist terror."Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, May 22, 20223. 70 Fifth Avenue and Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 25, 2022, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 166 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 25, 2022, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
