--- title: Harlem & The Rise Of Gospel Music Walking Tour lang: en type: tour city: New York country: United States price: 52 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.91 reviews: 57 duration_minutes: 180 duration_max_minutes: 240 languages: [en, fr] free_cancellation: "true" rank_in_category: 5 of 13 (Harlem & Gospel Tours) schedule_checked: 2026-10-21 data_updated: 2026-10-21 canonical: https://guidekin.com/usa/new-york/tours/harlem-the-rise-of-gospel-music-walking-tour/ --- # Harlem & The Rise Of Gospel Music Walking Tour In our comparison: #5 of 13 in Harlem & Gospel Tours, by rating weighted by review volume (table below). ## Overview The tour is conducted by a New York City licensed tour guide. We offer this tour in French or English. Our tour guides are native speakers if each languages. In this tour we will visit 9 landmark sites which include the first Black Episcopal, Methodist, Pentecostal, and Baptist churches. We will examine their history, their leaders, and their role in the anti-slavery movement as well as the civil rights movement. This tour also looks at the role of Gospel music in the history of the Black church. We will study its growth from the ring shout (the foundation of all African American music), to the Spirituals, the role of the Protestant hymnals, ending with what became known as Gospel Blues, today simply called Gospel music. The tour ends with a visit to a church service where we will listen to a live Gospel choir, it is not a concert but a real church service. ## Before you book - Meeting point: Take the #2 or #3 train to 135th Street… - Starts 07:30: one departure a day - Wheelchair accessible: operator-marked - Strollers OK: infants accepted **Pickup:** No hotel pickup: everyone meets at the start point ## Key facts - Price: from €52 per person for the English Tour option; other options up to €62 - Duration: 3h–4h - Rating: 4.91/5 from 57 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Free cancellation (see policy below) - Operator: Kaissa Tours - Group: Shared tour - Guide languages: English, French - Start times: 07:30 - Booking: Instant confirmation, mobile ticket - Price checked on Viator: 2026-10-21 ## Reviews 4.91 from 57 ratings on Guidekin, Viator & Tripadvisor. 98% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 56 of 57. - 5 stars: 54 (95%) - 4 stars: 2 (4%) - 3 stars: 0 (0%) - 2 stars: 1 (2%) - 1 star: 0 (0%) ## Tour options Prices are the operator's current list price for two travellers (whole euros); options sold only to bigger parties say so; pick the option on the booking page. | Option | Price | Guide languages | Details | |---|---|---|---| | English Tour | €52 / person | English | - | | French Tour | €62 / person | French | - | ## What's included - A Licensed New York city born Tour Guide with a portable video and audio system. ## Not included - Hotel Pick Up ## Itinerary 1. **Mt Olivet Baptist Church** (15m) - Mt. Olivet Baptist Church is a Southern Baptist church that has faithfully ministered and served our local community for over 200 years. 2. **The address refers to a section of Malcolm X Boulevard (formerly Lenox Avenue...** (15m) - The address refers to a section of Malcolm X Boulevard (formerly Lenox Avenue) in Harlem, New York City, specifically between 118th and 120th Streets. This area falls within the 10027 zip code. Malcolm X Boulevard runs north-south through Harlem, and the specified section is... 3. **Malcolm X Blvd & W 124th St New York, NY 10027 USA** (15m) - Harlem Renaissance 4. **Apollo Theater** (5m) - The iconic, world famous theater where countless musicians, comedians have performed. 5. **Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd & West 133rd Street, New York, NY, USA** (15m) 6. **Lenox Ave & West 135th Street, New York, NY, USA Songbird** (15m) 7. **Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church** (20m) - Our licensed tour guide will share with you the history of this church. "The Freedom Church" was formed in 1796 by African-American members of the predominantly white John Street Methodist Church. Although that church was abolitionist in its orientation, racial segregation... 8. **Abyssinian Baptist Church** (20m) - Our license tour guide will share with you the history of this church. Founded in 1808, Abyssinian Baptist Church is one of the oldest African-American Baptist churches in the United States. Housed in a landmark Gothic- and Tudor-style building in Harlem, Abyssinian embraces... ## Schedule - Runs: Sun - Departures: 07:30 - Schedule last checked: 2026-10-21 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. ## Meeting point Take the #2 or #3 train to 135th Street stop. Walk North on Malcom X Boulevard/Lenox. There are other tours companies, do not go to any tour guide. Our guides, Sylvie or Pascaline will come and pick you up. Ends: The Abyssinian Baptist Church ## Good to know - Wheelchair accessible - Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller - Public transportation options are available nearby - Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap - Transportation options are wheelchair accessible - All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible - Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness - Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level ## Compared with other Harlem & Gospel Tours | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #5 of 13** | €52 | 3h–4h | 4.91 (57) | shared | | [Harlem guided tour in French](/usa/new-york/tours/harlem-guided-tour-in-french/?format=md) | €55 | 3h 30m | 4.98 (387) | shared | | [The Soul of Harlem Walking Tour in New York](/usa/new-york/tours/the-soul-of-harlem-walking-tour-in-new-york/?format=md) | €54 | 2h 30m | 4.98 (246) | shared | | [The Birthplace of Hip Hop Harlem and The Bronx](/usa/new-york/tours/the-birthplace-of-hip-hop-harlem-and-the-bronx/?format=md) | €86 | 3h 30m | 4.81 (475) | shared | Ranked #5 of 13 in Harlem & Gospel Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €27 to €109, median €55; typical length 3h. 0 of 13 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/usa/new-york/harlem-gospel-tours/?format=md ## More in New York - All New York tours: https://guidekin.com/usa/new-york/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/usa/new-york/tours/harlem-the-rise-of-gospel-music-walking-tour/ Filters, the full catalogue and the URL contract for this city: https://guidekin.com/usa/new-york/?format=md