The Harlem in Havana Project
A multimedia documentary project honoring one of America's most successful traveling shows that significantly impacted entertainment in ways that still resonate with wonder today.
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
Leon Claxton, Tampa’s Black variety show producer, is featured in new documentary (Tampa Bay Times)
Monday, March 14, 2022
Saturday, February 26, 2022
Celebrating Black History: Watch the JIG SHOW | Leon Claxton's Harlem in Havana - the full film online!
Brown skin showgirls, whites-only audiences, and the brave African American showman who left an extraordinary entertainment legacy despite the insurmountable odds against him and his dreams.
Thursday, February 25, 2021
View the HARLEM IN HAVANA Collectors edition online!
Monday, February 22, 2021
JIG SHOW!? Brown-Skinned Showgirls, One Legged Tappers, and a Lucumi Ritual Dance. Celebrating Black History Month.
Monday, February 15, 2021
Leon Claxton depicted in West Tampa Mural
Photo credit: Traci Cunningham
Producer Leon Claxton's legacy continues to live on in the city of Tampa, Florida. His image has been depicted in a new West Tampa Mural titled "Faces of West Tampa" created by artists: Illsol (Tony Krol, Michelle Sawyer). The mural is located at Salcines Park, West Tampa, 1705 N Howard Ave. Tampa.gov states - Faces of West Tampa pays homage to the diverse history of West Tampa by showcasing many of the area’s historic figures, elements, and places of historic significance that represent the West Tampa area. Read more.
Sunday, February 14, 2021
About The Harlem in Havana Project
The Harlem in Havana Project is a multimedia documentary project created by artist and documentarian Leslie Cunningham in honor of Leon Claxton's Black and Cuban stage production, The Harlem in Havana revue, one of America's most successful traveling shows that significantly impacted American entertainment in ways that still resonate with wonder today.
This project aims to revive Harlem in Havana's rich entertainment history through a variety of thought-provoking content, including this website, a documentary film and the Brown-Skin Showgirls photography books.
Harlem in Havana was the place where the future heavyweights of entertainment birthed new music, dance and comedy. This documentary project provides an opportunity for a whole segment of artists and performances to tap into this history and enhance their current art forms. Back then it was a “colored” variety show with performance pieces, but today’s it’s an art form. This is where that history originated. Learn more.