Columbia University's Oral History Research Office has joined with the Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc. to document and preserve the vibrant history of Harlem's Apollo Theater and its surrounding neighborhood. The Apollo Theater Oral History Project will feature interviews with performers, personalities and staff, as well as local cultural and political leaders in an effort to spotlight and safeguard one of New York's most important cultural institutions.

Planned as part of the legendary theater's upcoming 75th anniversary, the project will include an oral history archive, an online and on-site exhibition based on the interviews and an educational program for public school students.

"We are thrilled to partner with Columbia University on this project, which is essential to ensuring the legacy of the Apollo for the next 75 years and beyond," said Jonelle Procope, president and CEO of the Apollo Theater Foundation.