Outside real estate investors and developers are targeting the iconic Cotton Club at 656 West 125th Street. Their corporate plan is to permanently shut down this legendary music venue and convert it into a private residential hotel and commercial restaurant.
We are launching this petition to create overwhelming community pushback and send an undeniable message to the real estate market: The Cotton Club must remain open and operating as an active live performance stage where Black musicians, dancers, and artists can continue to perform.
Tearing down this stage or replacing it with generic corporate hospitality will be met with fierce public opposition, boycotts, and legal scrutiny from the Harlem community.
 
A Personal 12-Year Legacy of Activism
This fight is deeply personal. Having spent over 10 to 12 years living and working within this institution's housing and community ecosystem, I know firsthand how vital this space is. It was within these very walls that I met my personal mentor—the legendary comedian, activist, and civil rights icon Dick Gregory.
The Cotton Club is a multi-generational bridge where the leaders of yesterday passed the torch of community organization, artistic integrity, and political activism directly to the next generation.
 
The Legendary Black Artists Who Built This Stage
To destroy this operating stage is to willfully erase the foundation of American music and Black historical artistry. This institution served as the springboard to fame and global acclaim for the absolute greatest African-American musical icons in world history.
By signing this petition, you are standing up to protect the living legacy of the masters who graced this club, including:
 
 
Duke Ellington — Whose legendary orchestra served as the definitive house band.
 
 
Cab Calloway — The master showman who broke down color barriers with his genius.
 
 
Louis Armstrong — The foundational king of jazz who brought his New Orleans magic to Harlem.
 
 
Billie Holiday & Ethel Waters — Global vocal pioneers who poured raw truth into the American songbook.
 
 
Lena Horne — The trailblazing singer and actress who launched her historic career on this very floor.
 
 
Josephine Baker — The boundary-breaking dancer and activist who took Harlem's vibrant culture to the world stage.
 
 
Count Basie, Fats Waller, & Chick Webb — The brilliant bandleaders who defined the swing era.
 
 
Bill "Bojangles" Robinson & The Nicholas Brothers — The master tap dancers who revolutionized American dance.
We do not want a plaque on a closed door; we want the stage mic'd up, the doors open, and the living history of Black music continuing to play.
 
Our Demands to New York City Officials and Investors:
Block All Conversion Permits: Deny all zoning changes and permits intended to transform 656 West 125th Street into a private residential hotel or commercial restaurant franchise.
Permanent Cultural Protection: Grant the building permanent architectural and cultural landmark status specifically to preserve it as an active, operating nightlife and music venue.
Keep the Venue Open: Require any future development to work alongside local community preservation groups like Save Harlem Now! to ensure the stage remains independently operated for local independent Black artists.
Sign this petition today to send a clear message to corporate real estate: Save the Harlem Cotton Club and keep our stage alive!