Definition: Harlem, New York, in the 1920s, saw an influx of Africans, African Americans, and West Indians who had moved to the city from the deep south in search of a new way of life. Scraping together enough money to live in Harlem, where multiple families were often packed into a singe apartment, often meant coming up with creative ways of generating income. This is how the rent party was born.
Hosts would charge friends a small fee to come over and party. At the center of the party was the music: usually a small blues or jazz band. Rent parties were a means of survival in Harlem, and also had the effect of elevating the importance of jazz to New York culture.
Also Known As: Harlem Rent Party
