Lafayette Theatre 1914-1934

The Lafayette Theatre, major competitor of the Lincoln Theatre since the silent film era, it later played host to a number of acts and shows, the theatre was a success in its time due to it's local support.

The Lafayette was the place where most of the Hoofers Club visitors came form, due to its location just next to it's stage door entrance. It was also in the shadow of the majestic "Tree of Hope". The big names and shows were performed at the Lafayette, at the time it was the largest Mecca for the cream of the entertainment community and also a place where black audiences were allowed in to see there favourite artists.

After the tree of hope was to be removed for building work to Seventh Avenue, Bill Robinson, who at the time was an honorary Mayor of Harlem, managed to preserve a section of stump from the original tree. It was kept by the stage entrance of the Lafayette Theatre. Robinson then appealed to the acting Mayor at the time for help, after the work on Seventh Avenue had been completed, to plant a new tree and the old stump of the original tree was placed beside it with a plaque that read. "The original Tree of Hope Beloved by Citizens of Harlem. You Asked for a Tree of Hope, So here 'Tis and Best Wishes – Bill Robinson."

The Lafayette became the one step towards the great goal of Broadway, in some ways it was the stepping stone to greater things. If a show had any hope of making it to Broadway it would have to make it at the Lafayette. Even so, many shows that were popular in Harlem never made it to Broadway but went round to other theatre circuits and after some time if they were lucky, were given tours in Europe.