Michael Henry Adams

Cultural preservationist Michael Henry Adams was born on February 25, 1956 in Akron, Ohio to Alexander Adams, Jr. and Willie Hollinger Adams. He graduated from the University of Akron with a degree in painting, drawing, and art history. Adams later attended the Attingham Summer School in the United Kingdom and completed coursework in historic preservation at Columbia University in New York City from 1987 to 1989.

Adams began his career as a guard at the Cleveland Museum of Art before relocating to New York City, where he worked as a bookseller at the Scribner Book Store, a messenger for the New York Stock Exchange, and as a personal chef to interior designer Tom Britt. In the early 1990s, Adams became a leading advocate for the preservation of Harlem’s architectural and cultural history, championing the protection of significant landmarks including the Audubon Ballroom, where Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965. He also helped preserve artifacts from demolished buildings that include the Harlem Chamber of Commerce, the Audubon Ballroom lobby, and the Lafayette Theatre, once home to Duke Ellington and his orchestra.

In addition to his preservation work, Adams has led architectural and historical tours throughout Harlem. In 2023, he participated in a panel discussion hosted by the Build Out Alliance titled Historic Homo Harlem: Preserving Disappearing Queer Spaces, alongside alumni from Columbia University’s Queer Students of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (QSAPP).

Throughout his career, Adams has authored numerous books including Harlem, Lost and Found: An Architectural and Social History, 1765–1915 (2002) and Style and Grace: African Americans at Home (2003). Adams wrote an opinion piece, The End of Black Harlem, for the New York Times in 2016 and contributed to Lauren Wicks’ 2021 article, Five Black Creatives Who Helped Shape American Art, Architecture, and Design. Adams’ writings have also appeared in The Guardian, The New York Daily News, and Advocate magazine.

Adams lives in New York City, New York.

Michael Henry Adams was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on September 13, 2023.