​Sikhulu Shange

​Sikhulu Shange (born c. 1940s) is a South African-born entrepreneur, community activist, and cultural historian based in Harlem, New York. He is the founder and longtime proprietor of the Record Shack, a historic music store and cultural landmark located on 125th Street across from the Apollo Theater. Shange is recognized as a key figure in the preservation of African and African-American musical heritage and a prominent advocate against the displacement of Black-owned businesses in Upper Manhattan.

​Early life and education

​Shange was born in South Africa and was trained as a traditional Zulu dancer. In 1964, he immigrated to the United States as a member of a dance troupe performing at the New York World’s Fair. Deciding to remain in New York City, Shange became involved in the burgeoning cultural scene of Harlem, which he described as a global "focal point of liberation."

​Career

​Establishment of the Record Shack

​In 1968, Shange opened his first retail venture at Frederick Douglass Boulevard and 135th Street. In 1972, he purchased the "Record Shack" from its previous owner, Ed Portnoy, and relocated the business to 274 West 125th Street.

​Under Shange’s leadership, the Record Shack evolved from a standard retail outlet into a specialized repository for rare and imported music. The store became noted for its inventory of:

• ​African Imports: Including highlife, jùjú, and choral music from South Africa and West Africa.
• ​Gospel and Jazz: Deep-catalogue recordings often unavailable in mainstream "downtown" music stores.
• ​Caribbean Music: Reggae, calypso, and soca imports.

​The store functioned as a "third place"—a community hub where artists, activists, and residents gathered to discuss history and politics. Notable figures of the African diaspora, including Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela, were known to frequent the establishment.

​Activism and 125th Street Rezoning

​Shange served as the chairman of the Coalition to Save Harlem, a grassroots organization formed to protect the neighborhood’s small businesses from the effects of the city’s 125th Street rezoning plan. He was a vocal critic of gentrification, arguing that the influx of corporate retail threatened to erase the "soul" and cultural autonomy of Black Harlem.

​2007–2008 Legal dispute and eviction

​In 2007, the Record Shack’s landlord, the United House of Prayer for All People, refused to renew Shange’s lease. The ensuing legal battle became a cause célèbre for activists fighting urban displacement. Despite widespread community protests and political intervention attempts, Shange was forcibly evicted by New York City marshals on July 24, 2008.

​During the eviction, an estimated $200,000 worth of inventory was seized and transported to a warehouse. The site of the Record Shack was subsequently slated for redevelopment, an event frequently cited by urban sociologists as a symbolic turning point in the commercial history of Harlem.

​Legacy

​Shange is frequently cited in academic literature concerning urban change and the preservation of "black spaces." His store is remembered not only for its commercial contributions but as an educational center where Shange shared oral histories of the Zulu people and the African struggle against apartheid. Following his eviction, Shange continued to maintain a presence in Harlem as a street vendor and community elder, continuing his mission of cultural stewardship.

​See also

• ​History of Harlem
• ​125th Street (Manhattan)
• ​Gentrification of New York City

​References

• ​Calkins, T. (2018). Grooves in the landscape: Vanished and persistent record stores in the postindustrial city. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
• ​Sloan, G. S. (2018). Jazz in the Harlem moment: Performing race and place at the Cotton Club. Stanford University.
• ​"Harlem’s Record Shack Faces Eviction," The New York Times, 2007.