The East - 10 Claver Place
The East was a community center that played a significant role in the Black nationalist movement of the 1970s. It was established by a group of students from the African American Student Association (ASA) at 10 Claver Place in Brooklyn, New York, in 1968. The center was created as a response to the lack of resources and support available to Black communities at the time.
The East quickly became a hub of social and political activity, providing a range of programs and services for the community. One of its most notable initiatives was the Uhuru Sasa Shule, an independent school that offered a unique curriculum focused on African and African American history, culture, and empowerment. The school taught subjects such as agriculture, gardening, cooking, crafts, self-defense, dance, and Swahili alongside traditional academic subjects. The school also celebrated African and African American holidays, and its curriculum was designed to instill a sense of pride and identity in its students.
In addition to the school, The East offered a variety of programs and services, including a child development program called Imani, a jam session space, a publishing house, and adult education. The center also had several business enterprises, including the Mazavi Boutique and Kununuana, a food cooperative that offered fresh grains, herbal medicines, and other natural products.
The East was a vibrant and dynamic community center that played an essential role in promoting Black empowerment and community development. It’s reach went far beyond its own building; other centers related to it sprang up as well. These included The Far East in Queens, The Mid East in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and the Uhuru-East Bookstore and Cultural Center in Memphis, Tennessee. It was a place where people could come together to learn, grow, and support one another, and it left a lasting impact on the community even after it closed its doors in 1986. Its members continued the work that the center had started, establishing such organizations as the The Center for Law and Social Justice, Black Veterans for Social Justice, and Imani Day School Computer Campus. Today though, the msot lasting vestige of the East’s influence lies with the International African Arts Festival, which continues to celebrate and promote Black culture in Brooklyn and beyond.
The Arts festival actually began with the school when, in 1971, it held a street carnival celebrating the relevance of Africa to Black people worldwide. The festival continues takes place every year in the month of July, and it has been a significant cultural event in Brooklyn since its inception, and showcases a diverse range of African and African diaspora art.
.png)
The festival has become an important platform for artists from these cultures to showcase their talents and connect with audiences from all around the world. The festival features a wide range of programming, including performances by renowned musicians (among them Blue Magic, Steel Pulse, and Lauryn Hill), dance troupes, and theater groups, as well as exhibitions of contemporary and traditional African and African diaspora art. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of food vendors offering African and Caribbean cuisine, shop at the marketplace for handmade crafts, clothing, and jewelry, and participate in educational workshops and panel discussions. The International African Arts Festival is a testament to the legacy of The East and the importance of promoting and preserving African and African diaspora culture.
References
“About - International African Arts Festival.” International African Arts Festival -, June 22, 2019. https://iaafestival.org/about/.
Fondren, Precious. “The Center That Shaped Black Life in 1970s Brooklyn.” The New York Times, February 11, 2022, sec. New York. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/11/nyregion/the-east-brooklyn-documentary.html.
Surfaro, Monica. “The East, a Black Culture and Education Centers Brings Bit of Africa to Brooklyn.” The New York Times, August 17, 1975, sec. Archives. https://www.nytimes.com/1975/08/17/archives/the-east-a-black-culture-and-education-center-brings-bit-of-africa.html.