1194 Nostrand Ave
1906

Established in 1968, the African Record Centre specializes in the distribution and promotion of African music. At the time, there was little information available about African culture, so brothers Roger "Roy", Rudolph and Roland Francis decided to put together the largest selection of African music in New York, thus helping to establish the genre within the United States. The Francis brothers were originally from Brooklyn and became familiar with traditional African music and dances through a folkloric ensemble they had formed in the early 1960s. They began importing music from Europe, Africa and the Caribbean, becoming distributors of Makossa, the first label for African music in the United States. The store's first location was in Harlem, and was soon followed by this location at Nostrand Avenue. They would later expand into books about the black diaspora and spirituality, opening the Yoruba Book Center at the corner of New York Avenue and Rutland Road. Although this is their only remaining location, the African Record Center continues to be one of the neighborhood's most beloved and influential spots, attracting people from all over the world. Interior view by Nenim Iwebuke, courtesy of Afropop Worldwide.